


New York City Joe and the Program of Doom

by daisey (svana_vrika)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-02-15
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-12 20:53:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 29,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4494351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svana_vrika/pseuds/daisey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Multibillionaire Kaiba Seto is kidnapped. Kaiba Mokuba goes to Mutou Sugoroku for help, only to end up getting it from an unexpected source.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2005 for an AU prompt challenge for the defunct Yahoo! group, A Dragons Lair. Unbetaed. All mistakes are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: The following is written solely for fun, and no infringement is intended. Yu-gi-Oh! and the scenarios and characters involved are the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi.
> 
> No spoilers of which I'm aware.

"Seto? Ni-sama? Seto?!?" Mokuba's voice echoed throughout the mansion from the foyer. Receiving no answer, he hurriedly dropped his bag and toed off his shoes. The raven-haired youth could sense something was off but he couldn't place his finger on it.

After stepping into the house proper it came to him. His eyes grew wide as he felt the chill and saw the dust that indicated the mansion had been empty for a while. Tentatively Mokuba sniffed, wrinkling his nose at the musty closed-off smell. _‘What the...?’_ Anxiously he made his way down the hall, peering into every room he came across. _‘Seto never mentioned going away when I left for camp two weeks ago...’_ Frantically he increased his search, growing more and more desperate with every empty room. By the time he reached the bedrooms he was at a dead run and gasping for breath. Working his way down the hall, Mokuba flung open door after door, even though he _knew_ that the rooms would be empty. His eyes filled with panicked tears as he reached the last one: Seto's room. As anxious as he was to find his brother, Mokuba hesitated, loathe to barge into his Ni-sama's bedroom without permission. Swallowing harshly, he forced himself to turn the knob and drag his heavy feet over the threshold.

"Seto?" his voice was little more than a whisper. "Ni- sama?" he tried again, desperation adding weight to his fear- weakened voice. Mokuba finally allowed the tears to fall as he sank onto his brother's bed, once again coming up empty handed. Suddenly his eye landed on an envelope that lay propped on a pillow- addressed to him of all people. The raven-haired boy felt a flicker of hope as he tore it open, nearly ripping the letter in his anxiety. Immediately his face paled and his hope died as he began to read. By the time he was finished he was sobbing, certain that he’d never see his brother again.

*****  
Mutou Sugoroku locked the door with a sigh, flipping the `open' sign to `closed.' It had been another busy day at the shop and, while he was glad for the business, he was equally glad that the business day had ended. Grumbling under his breath, he grabbed the till and a ledger and headed to the small office at the back of the shop. He would never dispute that he enjoyed his little store, and he _loved_ being able to pass the different gaming traditions on to another generation, but he _loathed_ the paperwork. He disliked the policies. He _hated_ the ordering. And he absolutely _despised_ the accounting. Scowling down at the numbers that refused to add themselves correctly, he angrily tore out the ledger page and wadded it into a ball.

"Gah! I'm an archaeologist, damn it, not an accountant! I'd take the dryness of the desert over the dryness of book keeping any day." Sugorokou heaved a wistful sigh, trying to recall how long it had been since he'd been on a dig. "Yugi!" he yelled over his shoulder. Impatiently he tapped his foot, waiting for a response. "Yugi, come down here!" Sugorokou sighed in relief as he heard his grandson traipse down the stairs.

"Sorry, Ojii-chan," he called as he made his way through the store. "Mr. Hawkins was on the line and I couldn't get him to stop talking." Yugi laughed. "Until he heard you holler, that is. Then he said: `Yugi my boy, you'd better tend to your Grandfather. We wouldn't want him stroking out before I got there now would we?'"

Sugorokou smiled at his grandson's impression of his oldest friend. "That was good, Yugi," he chuckled. "Quite good. So..." the old man mused, his column of numbers temporarily forgotten, "Arthur's coming here?" He tapped his pencil thoughtfully against his lip. "But what for?" He offered his grandson a grin. "Good thing he's coming from America, ne?" Sugorokou sighed, turning back to his paperwork. "It'll probably take me that long to get this baka ledger to balance."

"Mr. Hawkins isn't coming from America, Ojii-chan," Yugi laughed, grabbing the pencil from Sugorokou's hand and pushing the rolling chair holding his grandfather out of his way. "He's coming from the Westin right here in Domino." Quickly scanning the numbers and adding them in his head, the petite teen wrote the total down with a flourish. "There!" he exclaimed triumphantly. "All done." The wild haired boy laughed again at the astonished expression on his grandfather's face.

"But what... how..." Sugorokou held up his hands in defeat. "Never mind; I don't want to know." Slamming the traitorous book closed, he stacked it on top of the till and placed both items into the safe, locking it for the night. "So..." he said excitedly, leading his grandson out of the office. "Did Arthur say _why_ he was here in Japan?" Yugi nodded, the excitement in his eyes mirroring that in his grandfather's voice.

"He said it involved a treasure and a favor and that he wanted to entrust you with... oh my goodness!" Yugi and Sugorokou stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of Yami escorting a thoroughly drenched Mokuba in their direction. "Merwet, what happened?" the short teen demanded of his lover.

"I do not know Nodjmet, he replied solemnly. "I went out back to empty the trash basket from behind the counter, and the boy was standing at the door." Yami's brow furrowed lightly. "He looks familiar, but I do not think we've met." He trailed behind Yugi, watching as his petite love hurried the rain-soaked boy up the stairs to the living quarters.

"He is Kaiba Seto's brother, Mokuba, and no, you haven't," he replied over his shoulder. Yugi paused in his explanation long enough to find a towel and some dry clothing for the youth and to show him to the bathroom. "Kaiba-kun attends class with me at Domino High and he is also the CEO of KaibaCorp, our biggest competitor when it comes to game sales." Yugi grimaced. "Or at least he was until Ryujji Otogi opened up his shop. Anyhow, remember the big gaming expo in Tokyo about six months back?" Yami nodded his head, wincing the memory. Yugi and Sugorokou had attended the conference, leaving him at home to tend to the shop. It had taken the three of them an entire month to get the stock count to balance after his two days of running the store. "Well, that's where I met Mokuba." The shorter of the two smiled as the bathroom door opened and the raven haired boy stepped out. "Isn't that right, Mokuba?" Yugi's cheerful countenance became worried as the smaller boy replied with a nod and a sniffle. Seeing the tears that had been disguised earlier by the rain he rushed to the other's side. "Mokuba, what's wrong?"

"It's Nii-sama," he choked out, holding a damp, crumpled paper out to the older boy. "He's gone." Yami stepped behind Yugi, reading the note over his shoulder. Both faces paled as they read of the kidnapper's demands... and of the promised result should their demands not be met. When Yugi raised his head, his eyes were sympathetic but confused.

"Oh, Mokuba I am _so_ sorry," he claimed, laying a gentle hand on the young boy's shoulder. "But... why bring this here? As much as I'd like to, I don't see how I..."

"Your Ojii-san is an archaeologist, ne?" the boy broke in desperately. "Archaeologists always know a treasure seeker... or a bounty hunter... surely he knows _someone_ who can find Seto... or at least find the information they seek so I can get him back."

Yugi sighed softly as the steel gray eyes stared at him pleadingly. His voice was kind when he answered. "I'm afraid that's only true in dime novels and movies," he said gently, sighing again as he watched the flicker of hope fade from Mokuba's eyes. "Besides..." he continued teasingly, hoping to bring a smile to the dark haired youth's face. "Have you _seen_ any of my Ojii-chan's archaeology friends?" He smirked playfully as Mokuba shook his head. Leaning in, he said in a conspiratorial voice "Most of `em are older than the artifacts they seek!" A delighted grin settled on his lips as Mokuba not only smiled, but giggled as well. "And not only that..." Yugi cut himself short at the sound of someone clearing their throat right behind him. Whipping his head around, he found himself face to face with Sugorokou. And to make matters worse, Arthur Hawkins stood just behind him.

"Ojii-chan!" he squeaked, eliciting another giggle from Mokuba. "Mr. Hawkins... I..." Sensing his lover's embarrassed consternation, Yami stepped forward, gently removing the letter from Yugi's hands and handing it to his grandfather. As Sugorokou and Arthur read, he relayed to them Mokuba's reason for coming.

"Yugi was merely explaining to him that the public's vision of archaeology has become somewhat er... romanticized as of late," Yami concluded. "I'm certain he meant no disrespect."

Yugi's grandfather sighed and turned to the dark-haired youth. "I'm afraid Yugi's right, my boy," he said reluctantly, placing a hand on Mokuba's shoulder. "I'm sorr... whatever are you snickering at Arthur?" he interrupted himself, noticing a smug grin on his friend's usually placid face. "Well?" he demanded.

"My apologies, Mokuba," Arthur spoke, addressing the young boy directly. "I was not making light of your situation. It's just that, for the first time in the many years that we've known each other, I'm about to prove my dear friend wrong." Four pair of eyes turned to him inquisitively, their curiosity deepening as the man looked at his watch. "Where in the world is he?" he muttered to himself before turning back to his friend. "Did Yugi happen to mention why I was in Japan?" he inquired. Sugorokou hesitated and then nodded.

"He said something about a treasure and a favor, but we were interrupted by Mokuba's arrival." Slowly the look of excitement began to creep over his face again. "Are you going to elaborate?"

"Well..." The ringing of the store's bell halted his speech. The older Mutou huffed impatiently and, with a glance, sent Yugi down to answer it.

"Go on!" he persisted, gesturing with his hands for Arthur to continue. The man's frustration deepened as his friend chuckled and shook his head.

"I'll wait for Yugi to return."

*****

Yugi dashed down the stairs and through the store, anxious to return to the conversation that was taking place upstairs. He skidded to a halt in front of the door and peered out into the darkness, jumping back slightly as he caught sight of a pair of eyes peering back in at him.

"We're closed!" Yugi mouthed, pointing to the sign in the window. He watched as the person nodded in understanding but remained in front of the door.

"Let me in," the stranger replied, gesturing toward the rain. Yugi shook his head vehemently and the other stomped his foot in frustration, pushing his damp hair out of his face. The petite teen watched as another set of words were formed; it took three times for him to make out what the other was saying. Finally catching on to the mouthed `Arthur Hawkins', he hurriedly unlocked the door and let the stranger in.

"Thanks a lot," the boy panted as he dripped on the rug, his sarcasm evident despite the strange accent his voice carried.

"I'm sorry," Yugi said contritely, waiting for the other to catch his breath. "I couldn't understand what you were trying to say."

"Eh..." the stranger grinned, once again pushing his hair out of his eyes. "'s okay. I wouldn't have let a stranger in at this time of night either." His eyes scanned the store before lighting on Yugi. "Hawkins is here, ain't he?" The smaller boy nodded, slightly taken aback by the brusque attitude and tone of voice the other used.

"He's upstairs with my Ojii-chan... my grandfather," he explained, his tongue stumbling slightly over the unfamiliar word.

Once again the boy flashed him a grin. "No need to translate for me, Kid. I can probably speak Japanese better `n you can." Yugi bristled, but whether because of the stranger's statement or his calling him `kid' he didn't know.

"My apologies," he said, the politeness a bit more forced this time. "I assumed that you were unfamiliar with my language just as I am unfamiliar with yours." Yugi smirked as the other gaped at the thinly veiled shot at his heavily accented and slang-littered use of English. Suddenly the taller boy dropped his head back and laughed.

"Guess I earned that, huh," he stated with a friendly grin. "Sorry `bout that uh..." he quirked an eyebrow at the smaller teen.

"Yugi," he replied, returning the grin with a friendly one of his own. "And I'm seventeen, by the way." His eyes laughed at the other's stunned expression. "But no hard feelings. Now come on." He gestured toward the stairs. "Let's get you to Mr. Hawkins." He glanced at the boy appraisingly. "I'd offer you some dry clothing but..." The stranger chuckled.

"A towel will do just fine Yugi. And I'm Joe, by the way." Yugi smiled and took the boy's extended hand, shaking it briefly. "After you, Joe," he invited, holding the door to the stairwell open.

*****

"What on earth is taking that boy so long?" Sugorokou muttered, eyeing the stairwell impatiently. Arthur chuckled, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Patience my friend," he stated easily. "If the person who rung the bell is who I think it is..." Suddenly the sound of two sets of feet on the stairs was heard. Four heads swiveled to watch expectantly as a rain-soaked teen entered the room first, followed directly by Yugi. Smiling broadly, Arthur moved over to the stranger and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Sugorokou, everyone... I'd like to introduce you to Joseph Wheeler- the treasure I spoke of earlier." Everyone gaped save for Joe, who was blushing furiously.

"I ain't no treasure, Art," he said uncomfortably. "And I don't go by Joseph. It's Joe." Arthur airily waved off his embarrassment.

"Yes, yes. I know." He stepped away from the youth. "Goodness boy, you're soaked!"

"I told Joe I'd offer him a towel and a chance to clean up once we came upstairs." Yugi winked slyly at the professor before he continued innocently. "Can your discussion wait just a _little_ longer?" Arthur caught on immediately and winked back.

"Go ahead," he agreed, shooing the boys off in the direction of the bathroom. "A few more moments won't matter." Yugi giggled at his grandfather's exasperated sigh and led Joe down the hall.

"Do you have any idea how hard this is on an old heart like mine?" Sugorokou muttered, much to his friend's amusement.

"You are always so melodramatic," Arthur chuckled. "Fine. I'll tell you how I happened across the boy while we wait; the story always makes him uncomfortable." Sugorokou, Yami, and Mokuba leaned forward expectantly and were soon drawn into the man's story.

Quietly Arthur told them how he had gone to New York City to rotate the artifacts from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Egyptian wing with some newer discoveries from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. He had worked all day on the project, slipping in and out through a side door so as not to disturb the patrons. Dusk had fallen and, while he was aware of the dangers of the city's alleys after dark, he was anxious to get the job completed. Apparently some local thugs had been eying the treasure all day and, when the light faded, they made their move, pinning him to the ground at gunpoint as they stripped the van of its cache. He had truly believed all to be lost when suddenly he had heard a sharp `crack'. Opening his eyes, he saw that the weapon being held to his head had vanished. Seeing the gun wielding thug howling in pain and nursing his hand, Arthur had scrambled to his feet, dashing to the safety of the lit doorway. He had then watched in amazement as the slender blonde had taken all three of the miscreants down, using only his fists and a scarred and weathered steer-hide whip. Once the strange youth had helped him re- load the van, he had made to disappear into the darkness, halting only when Arthur had mentioned repaying him with a meal. By the time they had finished eating, Arthur had convinced the youth to stay with him- at least throughout the summer.

"He was starving, Sugorokou," Arthur recalled, shaking his head at the memory. "He had been alone on those streets since his father ran off when he was ten. Had it not been for the boy's quick wit and quicker reflexes, he would have been dead long ago. As it was, he drifted from gang to gang, staying long enough to pick up their language... their `techniques'... before moving along to the next one. Heaven only knows what the boy would have turned to had I not stumbled upon him when I did." The man sighed wistfully. "Joe has been with me for almost a year now, and he truly is a treasure- both in his abilities and his personality. But, while he has tamed down considerably, I'm sensing the restlessness within him." He gave the group a wry grimace. "Of course, his only companion besides myself has been my granddaughter Rebecca. And what seventeen year old boy can thrive in the company of an old man and a ten year old girl?" Arthur looked at his old friend meaningfully. "That is why I brought him here: to ask if you would consider watching over him for me- at least for the summer. I think he would be much happier with boys his own age than stuck on a dig with me." The professor laughed as he saw Sugorokou's eyes light up at the mention of a dig. "Of course, if he stays here, that leaves me wanting for an assistant- thus the favor. And you don't have to answer, my friend. I can see the word `yes' written on your face quite clearly." The two older men chuckled, causing Yami to smile and Mokuba to giggle. The noise reminded Arthur of the boy and his predicament and he became serious once more. "But now I think there's a better use for Joe other than lazing around Domino all summer."

"Aww, Art..." The group turned to watch the two boys enter the large family room. Joe was considerably drier than before, but he still looked disheveled and uncomfortable. "Ya can't back out on me now! Yug an' I were jus..."

"Just a minute, Joe," Arthur placated, taking the letter from Sugorokou. "Before you jump to conclusions, take a quick look at this." The entire group watched as amber eyes scanned the letter, hardening with each line they read. Reaching the bottom, he carefully folded the letter and handed it back to the professor before moving to crouch in front of Mokuba.

"The bastards got yer brother, huh?" Despite his crude language, Joe's voice was kind. His eyes softened as Mokuba looked at him hopefully.

"Yes," he choked, dropping his head as tears threatened his eyes once again. The older boy placed a finger under his chin and gently lifted it again.

"You know what this secret is they're wantin'?" Mokuba hesitated a moment before nodding his head in the affirmative.

"It's... something that was developed by my... our step-father- long before he adopted Seto and me," the boy stated. "Gozaburo had created a technology so advanced that it could actually download a human mind into a computer and then back to the human again- supposedly without any side effects." Ignoring the shocked stares from the others Mokuba continued. "But he was wrong. Seto and I... we found a prototype on an island owned by my stepfather... inside an abandoned warehouse. The subject's name was Noah and..."

"Wait a minute, Mokuba," Sugorokou interrupted. "This prototype you speak of was a _human_?" The group gasped as Mokuba nodded again.

"The boy's body was locked inside a cryogenic containment unit," he stated softly. "His mind was still in the computer." The youth's voice wavered as he related the rest of the tale. "He begged us to download him back into his body. Noah said he'd been trapped inside the computer for years. Seto... he refused at first, but then his curiosity got the better of him." Mokuba smiled but the expression was a bitter one. "My Nii-Sama can never resist an opportunity to check out new technology. He began the download process and- at first- everything went down without a hitch. Noah's vital signs returned to normal as we reversed the cryogenic process. But when we opened the chamber..." Mokuba drew a shuddering sigh. "Noah... he lost it." The boy began to sob. "Seto and I... we tried to stop him but...he was too far gone. He just... he went to one of the broken out windows and... and im... impaled himself on a fragment of glass. I still... have nightmares about the blood... the crazed expression on his face..." Yugi sat down and put a sympathetic arm around the boy and, after a moment, Mokuba continued. "Seto destroyed the program immediately," he concluded. "He said that he didn't know if the insanity was caused by the length of time Noah had spent inside the computer or by the program itself, but that it was too great a risk to attempt to find out. We left the island as soon as he ignited the warehouse. We haven't been back since." Yugi went to speak but Joe beat him to it.

"Ya said that yer brother destroyed the program and that he torched the warehouse." He stared intently at the boy. "Did uh... Seto?" He continued at an affirmative nod from the other. "Did Seto actually destroy the computer, or did he count on the warehouse burnin' down to destroy it for him?"

"I... I don't know," Mokuba stammered truthfully. "It was so long ago and I..."

"Do ya know where the island is?" Joe pressed. "Did it have a name?" Mokuba shook his head, slightly disconcerted by the sudden intensity of the blonde teen.

"I...I just don't remember."

"So all ya got ta go on is this here letter." Joe blew into his bangs impatiently, earning a severe look from Yugi. Again the petite teen opened his mouth and again he was cut off- this time by Mokuba.

"I'm sorry Joe... everyone," he apologized meekly. "I just wanted... wanted to get my brother back and..." he began to sob again. "I'll never see him again... not when all I have is a stupid useless letter!" Mokuba felt a pair of arms wrap around him and, when he opened his eyes he was surprised to find himself in Joe's embrace. Feeling the smaller boy calm a bit, the blonde pulled back and offered him an encouraging smile.

"It's gonna be okay kiddo," he said. "We'll get yer brother back."

"How dare you!" Everyone turned to look at Yugi, who had jumped from the couch, his face as red as the coloring in his hair. "How can you sit there and lie... raise his hopes up like that? That's worse than flat out saying there's no hope at all! You heard him- he can't remember anything! All he's got is that letter!" Yugi waited for the blonde to retaliate but Joe remained silent, his cool gaze never wavering. "Well?" The petite teen threw himself back onto the couch, angrily shoving away Yami's comforting hand from his shoulder.

"Let's get one thing straight right here an' right now," Joe began, his voice as cool as his eyes. "I never, _never_ lie." Amber eyes bored into Yugi's violet ones. "Lyin's for cowards an' fools- an' I ain't neither." He turned his gaze from Yugi to Mokuba, his eyes warming considerably. "An' if there's one thing I've learned from my years on th' street it's this: there's _always_ hope. Mokuba… was there anyone else that mighta known `bout the project yer stepdad was workin' on?" The young boy's brow furrowed in thought.

"The original board of directors may have," he admitted hesitantly, a scowl crossing his youthful face. "They called themselves the `Big 5' and tried several times to remove Seto from his position as CEO."

"Do ya remember their names?" Again Mokuba paused, lost in thought.

"Oshita, Otaki, Oka, Ota, and Daimon," he finally recited. "What is it?" he demanded, noticing a spark of recognition in the blonde's eyes.

"I'd rather not say jus' yet," Joe replied cautiously, casting a sidelong glance at the wild-haired boy on the couch. Straightening from his crouch, he arched his back, humming in satisfaction as several pops and cracks were heard. "Gimme that letter, Art." Silently the professor handed him the paper. "'s it okay if I hang on to this?" He addressed Mokuba, giving the boy a wink. "Jus' another lesson I learned from fendin' for myself- everythin' has a use... if ya know how to use it." The boy nodded, giggling as Joe ruffled his hair before turning to Sugorokou. "'s it okay if the kid stays with you t'night? _Someone_ has access to his house an' I think he'd sleep easier here." The old man agreed instantly.

"You're welcome to stay as well, of course," he offered. Joe flashed him a grateful smile as he shook his head in the negative.

"Thanks, Mutou-San, but I'll go with Art. I've got a few lines I wanna check up on an' besides; all my gear's stashed in his room." He turned once again to Mokuba. "Try an' get some sleep, Kiddo. I'll see ya tomorrow at nine. We'll talk again then." Joe nodded to the remainder of the group, his eyes lingering coolly on Yugi. The smaller teen had the grace to blush as he stood up and slowly approached the blonde.

"Joe listen," he began hesitantly. "I'm sorry. It's just... he's hurting so much already; I didn't want..." He broke off, eyeing the taller boy anxiously.

"Eh… I understand," Joe said easily, offering him a grin. "No worries." His grin widened as Yugi sighed in relief. "I'll catch ya in the mornin'." He offered the boy a casual wave as he bounded down the stairs after the professor.

"What an interesting boy," Sugorokou mused, closing the door to the stairwell and locking it behind him. Clapping his hands and rubbing them together he turned to look at the three boys. "Yugi, get some popcorn. Yami- a movie. Mokuba and I will get some blankets. Let's get this sleepover started, ne?" The boys scattered, but not before Yugi gave his grandfather a hug.

"You're the best, Ojii-Chan," he whispered, smiling as Mokuba giggled at something Yami was saying. Sugorokou smiled as well, only to sigh when Yugi pulled away.

"I just hope that boy can help," he murmured, shaking his head as he headed down the hall.

*****

Arthur blinked groggily, his blurred vision just making out a form hunched over a laptop. "Do you realize what time it is?" he mumbled sleepily. Joe jumped, nearly spilling the computer from his lap.

"Shit, Art- ya scared th' crap outta me." Arthur, used to the blonde's rough language, merely grunted and rolled over in the bed. "I didn' mean ta keep ya awake," Joe said contritely, shutting the computer down and placing it to the side.

"No worries my boy," he assured the teen through a yawn. "Did you find anything?" The man smiled as he heard the grin in Joe's reply.

"Yeah." Joe reached over and turned off the light, stretching out on his bed with a sigh. "Ya sure yer gonna be alright?" he asked almost brusquely, reluctant to show the man how much he had come to mean to him. "I mean Mutou's no spring chicken, ya know?" The professor replied with a sleepy chuckle.

"Don't let his age fool you. We've been in many a tight spot together, Sugorokou and I. Besides, this is just a routine dig. But you on the other hand..." Arthur sighed. "I must admit that this little adventure was not what I had in mind."

"'s okay, Art," Joe said softly. "Someone's gotta help that kid. I know what it's like ta be all alone at his age and trust me; he don't wanna go there." A snore was all he got in reply. Chuckling silently, Joe rolled over and stared at the wall, running over everything he had learned in his mind. The letter itself had held several clues and- when combined with the information he had gleaned from the internet- he had a fairly good idea where to start. Sighing contentedly he snuggled down into the blankets and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The atmosphere inside the Kame game shop was tense as nine o'clock approached. Each time the door opened, Sugorokou, Yami, Yugi, and Mokuba swiveled their heads anxiously and each time they were disappointed. After receiving several curious looks from the customers however, the four stopped the practice. They were rewarded for their patience when, at precisely nine am, an oddly accented voice interrupted their activities.

"What's a guy gotta do ta get some service aroun' here?" Joe joked from the counter- temporarily unattended as Yugi had gone to the office after some change. "I've only been standin' here for about five minutes now." His grin widened as four people suddenly appeared from different locations throughout the store as if by magic. Sugorokou and Mokuba rushed to the blonde immediately, greeting him and asking about his night. Yami and Yugi however, paused when Joe came into their line of vision; shocked beyond words at the change in his appearance. The blonde hair that had appeared dark and lank last night was actually light, capturing the morning sun and holding it in its silky tresses as its golden color accented the youth's amber eyes and perfectly tanned skin. Gone were the nondescript, disheveled, baggy jeans and tee-shirt. They had been replaced by snug fitting khaki-brown cargo pants and an equally snug, partially unbuttoned, sand-colored cotton safari shirt. A brown leather belt hung low on the blonde's narrow hips- unadorned save for the strap that held the whip Arthur had mentioned at his side. Sloppy tennis shoes had been exchanged for worn leather boots; practical in appearance yet complimenting the outfit as if chosen by a fashion designer. Crimson and violet eyes widened appreciatively and two tongues darted out to moisten dry lips when Mokuba, removing the timeworn soft brown poet hat that Joe had teasingly placed on his head, placed said hat on said blonde, who proceeded to jerk it down to rakishly cover an eye as he gave the boy a brilliant grin. To put it bluntly, the overall vision was...

 _Hot!_ Yami and Yugi looked at each other in surprise and then offered each other a sheepish grin as the word came unbidden from both ends of their mind link. Together they moved to the counter to join in the conversation.

"...got a coupla leads," Joe was saying as he respectfully removed his hat and set it on the counter. He ran a hand through his already tousled hair, earning another appreciative glance from the lovers. The blonde looked down at Mokuba and gave him a wink. "An' that letter was far from useless, Kid."

"Re...really?" Mokuba stuttered, his eyes searching Joe's face beseechingly.

"Yeah, really." Reaching into his shirt pocket he withdrew the letter and handed it to Mokuba. "Here ya go." He grinned and tapped his head when Mokuba took it with a look of confusion. "‘s all up here Kiddo. `sides, yer gonna wanna hold on ta that as evidence for when we get the bastards." Mokuba smiled at him gratefully and accepted the paper. The blonde gave Yugi a pointed stare. "Be sure ya put it somewhere safe `till we need it, okay?" Yugi picked up on the hint immediately. Opening the till he pulled out a key ring, singled out an intricately carved safe key, and handed it to the raven-haired boy.

"Upstairs in Ojii-chan's room," he said lowly. "Behind the pyramid hanging." The group remained silent until the boy scampered away, pulling the door to the stairwell closed behind him.

"He'll be quick so I ain't got a lotta time," Joe began hurriedly. "The letter's content revealed nothin' more than what we all read last night: forty eight hours from now that kid's brother gets capped unless we either find him or come up with the information they want. An' I'm willin' ta bet that- even if we could find the information- they'd still take him out. That's why I'm goin' for the rescue."

"But how..." an impatient noise from the blonde cut Yugi off.   
"As ya all know th' note didn't have a name- it jus' said that th' exchange would take place at midnight on Wednesday at the ol' penguin house on th' old zoo property. Now..." he continued, keeping an eye on the door that Mokuba had exited out of, "When th' kid mentioned `the big five' las' night, it made me remember somethin'. Do any of yous remember the assassination attempt that was made on a certain CEO durin' a corporate costume ball he was hostin'?" Yami and Yugi shook their heads whereas Sugorokou nodded vehemently. "Well it seems that that group a suits was there- each dressed as a duel monster. One was the Deep-Sea Warrior, one the Judge Man, one the Machine King, one Jinzo, and one..." 

"...a Pen..." Sugorokou interrupted excitedly, only to be cut off by Joe as he raised his hand silently in warning. The old man gave him a puzzled look and then followed the blonde's minute head gesture with his eyes. Seconds later the shop door opened, causing looks of awed comprehension to dawn on the faces of Joe's audience. Yugi's quickly turned to a look of irritated repulsion as the person who entered draped an arm across the blonde's shoulders.

"Well, well, well..." a lazy voice drawled in Joe's ear. "What have we here?" the male gave a sultry chuckle, casually sliding his hand down the other's back to his ass as he stepped around in front of him. Joe's eyes remained impassive as he took in the sight of the raven-haired teen who smirked at him and turned his emerald eyes toward Yugi.

"I'm impressed, Yu-chan." The boy's smirk widened as Yugi clenched his teeth at the childish endearment. "And here I thought that Yami-kun and Seto-kun were the only gorgeous males you knew... except for myself, of course." He gave a tittering laugh before turning his gaze back to Joe, scanning him from golden head to booted feet before speaking again. "I am..."

"Otogi Ryujji," Joe interrupted, his voice deliberately bored. "Owner of th' second largest gaming corporation in Domino. I know who ya are." The blonde gazed at the newcomer coolly. "But what're ya doin' here? Ain't ya got yer own store ta run?" Otogi's flirtatious eyes hardened momentarily.

"Unlike some of the... lesser... stores I have employees to tend shop for me," he replied, eyeing Sugorokou meaningfully. "Now..." he purred, returning to his playful mood, "You seem to know all about me, but I know nothing about you," Otogi pouted playfully at the blonde. "Can I at least know your name?"

"Joe," the slender teen replied curtly. "An' ya still ain't answered my question." Otogi offered him an innocent look.

"Which was?"

"What the hell `re ya doin' here?" Otogi gaped momentarily before pulling himself together.

"Checking out my competition of course," he snapped, glaring at the brusque teen. Jou's expressionless eyes matched him stare for stare until Otogi turned his head at the sound of the stairwell door opening. "And speaking of competition..." he muttered, turning away from the blonde to offer Mokuba a toothy- and obviously false- smile. "If it isn't young Master Kaiba." Joe grinned as the youth rolled his eyes impatiently.

"What do you want, Otogi?" he demanded, once again causing the green-eyed teen to scowl.

"Mind your manners, little boy," he hissed, giving Mokuba a disdainful glare. "As I was saying to Yu-chan's new friend, I was merely taking the afternoon to check on my competition." Otogi turned the scornful look onto the game shop's owner. "Of course my only _true_ competition is that gorgeous big brother of yours." He licked his lips predatorily. "Is Seto-kun here then?" he inquired, gazing around the store. "I called at the office but he wasn't there." Mokuba opened his mouth to respond but hesitated as he saw Joe's eyes move to stare pointedly at a poster advertising a cruise ship duel tournament.

"He's on a business trip," the boy replied steadily, meeting Otogi's smirk with a cool gaze. "And before you ask, no. I don't know whe~ he'll be back; he said that he'd be gone until all the requirements were met." Otogi's smirk widened imperceptibly- unnoticed by everyone save Joe. "Hmm… I'm sure he will be," the dark haired teen murmured. "Well..." he said in a louder voice as he turned back toward the blonde, "At least my trip to this `shop' wasn't a _total_ waste of my time." He walked to the door, sweeping Joe's frame once again with a sultry gaze. "A fine piece of eye candy is always time well spent in my book." And with that he was gone, the only reminder of his visit being five disgusted expressions on the five faces that watched him walk out the door. Joe was the first to break the silence.

"That was a good job back there, Kid," he complimented Mokuba. "I've given less subtle hints ta much older people and had `em _still_ manage ta mess things up." The blonde glanced at the clock and then crouched in front of the boy. "I gotta get goin'." He ruffled the raven head affectionately. "An' don't ya worry. You stay here with Yug and Mutou-san an' the next time I walk through that door your brother'll be in tow." Joe grinned when Mokuba flung himself at him and hugged him tightly. "Thanks for that," he chuckled once he was released. Moving back to the counter he picked up his hat and placed it on his head. "Keep a close eye on `im," he muttered to the three standing around the till. "Don't let `im outta yer sight." Reaching down he picked up a previously unnoticed weather beaten brown leather bomber jacket. Hooking it with a finger he flung it over his shoulder, missing the twin sighs of pleasure that his appearance elicited from the two other teens. Nodding to Sugorokou respectfully and offering the remainder of the group a casual salute he exited the store.

"Well I guess that's that then," Sugorokou sighed, tearing his anxious gaze from the door. Seeing Mokuba's forlorn expression he offered the boy an encouraging smile. "Don't worry Mokuba. He'll be back- and your brother will be with him."

‘I hope...’ the old man kept his last two words to himself.

*****

A stocky brunette looked up from his position behind the counter when the door to the trendy game shop swung open forcibly. His expression turned to one of surprise when the raven-haired youth who was the store's owner came into sight- his expression hard and angry instead of the playfully flirtatious one he usually wore.

"Otogi-san, what is it?" the teen demanded, his voice full of concern. The taller boy looked up with a snarl, the fury in his eyes fading to a cunning look as he gazed at the shocked brunette.

"Honda-kun..." he purred, slinking over to the counter and smirking as the boy's eyes widened slightly. "Would you do me...a favor?" Slim fingers caressed the brunette's tanned cheek and Otogi's smirk widened as he saw the other swallow forcibly.

"Su... sure," Honda replied, struggling to keep his voice even. "You name it."

"A stranger over at Mutou's shop came on to me and then threatened me when I turned him down," he pouted, forcing his body into a false shiver. "Would you go over and see if he's still there... maybe follow him for me for a bit?" The dark haired boy leaned over the counter, his face mere inches from the others. "I hate being worried and I'd be _ever_ so grateful..." The last words were spoken against Honda's mouth, only to have the lips disappear before he could so much as moan. "You'll have to go _now_ ," Otogi persisted, handing the brunette his jacket and allowing a husky note to slip into his voice. "But when you get back, I'll reward you for your troubles." Honda swallowed again and gave the other boy a heated glance before dashing out the door. 

"Moron," Otogi muttered, rolling his eyes as he picked up the phone. He dialed quickly, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for the other end to pick up. "Ojii-san? It's Otaki." The raven- haired youth smirked. "Yes, you're right. I mean Otogi. Yes, I _think_ everything's going as planned, but keep your eyes open. Kaiba's brat of a brother was at Mutou's shop and there was another there... a blonde that I haven't seen before. I can't put my finger on it, but something about him makes me uneasy so keep your eyes open. If we don't screw this up it could mean millions for both of us." His voice suddenly took on a hungry tone. "You're treating my pet kindly, ne?" Otogi's lips pouted slightly. "You had to restrain him?" The boy sighed. "Well, do what you must but try not to mark him _too_ badly." Teeth flashed in a feral grin. "I want that pleasure myself. You too Ojii-san. Bye." Otogi toyed with his bangs as he thought about the prize that awaited him. The information his grandfather spoke of was secondary in importance to him. Whether they got it or not, the captive CEO would be his.

*****

A pair of sapphire eyes blinked open groggily, trying to focus in the darkness of the room. For a minute Seto forgot where he was, but the throbbing ache at his temple and the crusty feel of dried blood on his skin reminded him all too well. Wincing in pain, he tried to sit up, only to find himself cuffed to the narrow bed.

 _‘Fuck,’_ he thought angrily, testing the strength of his bonds by harshly jerking his arms. _‘I was so close...’_ He had been imprisoned for over a week now, taken captive in an unexpected attack in the KaibaCorp parking structure. When he had come to he had found himself locked in a small bedroom- alone, but free. He had had no contact from his captor, save for a rude comment or two thrown his way as a plate of poorly prepared food and a bottle of lukewarm water were shoved through a slot in the door twice a day. Unfortunately for the captor, the comments had been enough to identify him to his prisoner: Kaiba Seto never forgot a voice. But he played along with the game, never letting Otaki Shuuzou- former managing director of KaibaCorp and member of the self proclaimed `Big Five'- know that he knew. Played along that was, until Otaki had goaded him into attempting an escape by mentioning last night that Mokuba should be at home and receiving the letter containing his demands by then. As soon as the man had left Seto had begun prying at the crudely cut slot in the door, frantically working at the worn wood until the opening was large enough for him to shimmy his slender frame through. He had made it down the hall and to the stairs when, in his growing anxiety for his brother, he had gotten careless. The last thing he remembered was a startled yell followed by a painful blow to his head. 

Growling in frustration the brunette yanked at his bonds again, swallowing around the lump of despair that had suddenly lodged in his throat. He could handle being locked up... could handle the degradation; but Mokuba... Seto blinked furiously against the tears that threatened, trying to think of who the boy could turn to. His thoughts were interrupted when the door to his new prison squeaked open. His blue eyes narrowed as his captor stepped into sight for the first time, pushing a cart containing not only his meal but a basin and washcloth as well. Otaki left the cart and strode over to him, roughly grasping one of his arms and freeing it from its bond. Seto glared at the man, refraining from rotating the aching appendage despite the relief it would bring; he refused to give the man the satisfaction. Sensing his former employer's stubbornness Otaki smirked and pushed the cart in front of the teen.

"You have five minutes before I cuff you again," he taunted. "So I suggest you sit up and eat." Grudgingly Seto did as he was told, knowing it was necessary to keep his strength should the opportunity for escape ever present itself again. He gagged the bland food down, grimacing as he swallowed the piss warm water afterward. Bypassing the remainder of the items on the cart he lay back down, pointedly ignoring the man that stood by his side. The brunette jerked up abruptly as a soaking wet rag landed on his face. "Clean yourself up, Kaiba," Otaki snarled. "For whatever reason, my grandson wants you- despite what a pompous prick you are. And I won't have him thinking I've damaged his new toy."

"Amazing," Kaiba sneered, tossing the rag into the basin after giving his face a cursory wipe. "I can't believe you were allowed to pollute a second generation with your mutated genes, let alone a third." The brunette didn't so much as flinch when the man got into his face.

"I'd watch what I'd say if I were you," he spat, little drops of moisture landing on Seto's face. "I don't work for you any more, remember?" He grasped the boy's free arm and jerked him back down to the bed, cuffing him once again. "And don't think I won't beat the shit out of you, despite what Otaki-Raiju wants." The man stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

 _‘Otaki-Raiju...’_ Seto ran the name of Otaki's grandson around in his mind. _‘Gods that sounds familiar...’_ The thought teased his overtaxed mind until-exhausted mentally and physically- he fell into a restless sleep.

*****

Joe made his way through the winding alley, trying not to let his tension show. He knew he was being tailed... he had picked the guy up just moments after leaving the game shop. The only reason he hadn't shaken him off was because he was curious. He had no doubt that Otogi had set the guy on him, and he had his suspicions as to why. But what truly piqued the blonde's interest was the awkward- almost fearful- way the guy was shadowing him. Joe grimaced almost sympathetically as he heard his stalker knock into yet another trash can.

 _‘Whoever he is, he ain't doin' this for a livin',_ ’ he mused, rounding yet another corner. The blonde let the clumsy tailing continue for another mile or so, waiting until he neared his destination before deciding to bring it to an end. Increasing his pace slightly Joe made his final turn, ducking behind a low hedge as his tail came into sight. He eyed up the stocky brunette, measuring the best way to take him down. Moving his left hand down to his side he stealthily unlatched his whip, waiting for the stalker to pause in confusion at his disappearance before loosing it. 

The only warning the brunette had before feeling the sting at his ankles was the sharp `crack' that accompanied the whip's unfurling. The next thing he knew, he was on his back in the street, staring up at the man he had been tailing and wondering what the hell had happened. Joe smirked at the other's confusion and shifted his whip in front of him as he coiled it, affording the stranger a perfect view of the weapon that had taken him down. Then, to Honda's surprise, the blonde crouched down to look him in the eyes- his expression friendly despite the way he deliberately rested the heavy handle of the whip against his captive's brow.

"What the hell're ya doin?" Joe asked, his tone one of amused sympathy. Honda's frightened expression turned to one of embarrassed anger.

"I don't have to answer to you," he growled, looking away from the blonde's teasing eyes.

"Oh, but I think ya do." The brunette winced at the tap of the handle that accompanied the mocking words. "Now come on. I _know_ that Otogi put ya up ta this, and I can tell that yer not a professional, so the question becomes: what did he offer ya in exchange for the job?" Joe smirked at the telltale flush that heated his prisoner's face. "Yeah, I thought as much- one type a job for another, eh?" Honda growled again and attempted to move away, but was stunned still by a slightly sharper tap to his head. "Th' guy mus' be involved in this pretty deep ta be desperate enough ta send out an amateur tail, wouldn't ya say?" Reluctantly Honda found himself drawn into responding by the blonde's curious words and conversational tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied in a grudging tone. "He asked me to follow you because you threatened him when he refused your advances." The brunette watched in surprise as Joe dropped his head back and laughed. "What's so damned funny?"

"Me..." Joe gasped, trying to contain his mirth, "Come on to a girlie boy like _that_?" He shook his head amusedly. "Sorry bud. Definitely not my type."

"But... why would you come on to him if you're into girls?" The blonde chuckled at Honda's continued confusion.

"Number one: I ain't inta girls. I jus' happen ta like my men more masculine than that fairy boy. I like `em strong... tough..." he grinned down at the other. "Someone with an attitude an' ego _at least_ as big as my own; which- by the way- means that _you're_ outta the question." He chuckled as Honda flushed in embarrassment. "I mean really: where's the fun in fuckin' if ya don' have ta fight for yer dominance? An' number two: he was lyin' to ya." Hazel eyes stared at him coolly.

"How do I know that you're not the liar?" Honda gagged as suddenly the whip handle was moved from his head and pressed against his throat.

"The answer ta that's plain an' simple." Fierce amber eyes bore into frightened hazel ones. "I never _ever_ lie. Now th' way I see it..." Joe continued, easing up on the pressure slightly, "Ya have two choices. Ya can come with me willingly an' see for yerself who the liar is, or I can tie ya up an' stash ya into one of the trashcans ya became so familiar with until I'm done." The blonde glanced at his watch and then at the imposing house situated at the end of the street. "So what's it gonna be?" Honda eyed him suspiciously.

"And just how is coming with you going to prove that Otogi was lying?" His eyes widened as he saw Jou reach into the deep inside pocket of his coat. "I was...just... never mind," he continued, his voice squeaking nervously, "I'll come along."

"'s a good thing," Joe grinned, removing his hand from his jacket and offering it to the brunette in assistance. Once the other boy was on his feet he gestured for him to walk ahead, keeping his whip loosely coiled in his hand. "Didn't have any rope on me anyways." The blonde's grin widened when Honda hesitated slightly then let out a rueful chuckle.

"You're good," he said, turning around and offering Joe a reluctant smile. "I've gotta give you that." He gave the other teen a curious glance. "Who are you, anyway?" he asked as the blonde fell into step beside him.

"Name's Joe," he said easily. "'n you are?"

"Honda."

"'s good ta meet ya." The brunette let out another chuckle. "Gonna let me in on th' joke?"

"It's just odd to be exchanging pleasantries with a guy that just whipped my ass... literally." Joe joined in the laughter.

"Not yer ass; just yer ankles." His laughter faded as he saw the slightly doubtful look in the brunette's eyes. "Ya still don' believe me, do ya?" Honda sighed.

"I don't know what to believe. I've only known you for like five minutes now but I can't help but feel that you're more sincere than Otogi ever was. It's just..." Joe sighed and paused for a moment.

"I can't take the time ta prove myself to ya; a guy's life is dependin' on me." He began walking again, smiling slightly when Honda continued with him without prompting. "So let's make a deal, eh? I tell ya what I know about you and Otogi based on our meetin's today. If I'm near th' gold, you agree ta help me. If I hit black, I let ya go. But in th' mean time, we walk." Joe took the others silence as an agreement. "'kay; I'll start with you: seventeen, still at home with ma and dad- their `golden boy' though maybe not th' only child. If there _is_ a siblin' it's an older one- a girl. You've gotta dog an' yer folks don' know yer gay." He gave Honda a sidelong glance. "How'm I doin' so far?"

"Pre... pretty good," Honda stammered, his face pale save for a blotch of embarrassed color on each cheek. "But how..." 

"Wool varsity jacket with leather sleeves an' medals hangin' offa your letter shows yer age. New, high quality clothin' proves that yer not on yer own an' that there's no older brother seein' as they're not hand-me-downs. Th' combination of th' jacket an' yer clothes, plus yer lack of confidence tells me that yer coddled, as mos' middle age parents tend ta do to their youngest. Addin' th' jacket to yer athlete's build an' 1950's clean cut appearance leads me ta believe yer hidin' the fact yer a fag from yer folks. Did I miss anythin'?" 

Honda chuckled in spite of himself. "You forgot the dog."

"Check out th' wool on yer jacket," Jou grinned. The brunette looked down and, sure enough, the navy blue material was littered with dog hair. "Now as fer Otogi..." he continued, "Same age `s you but livin' on his own- or at leas' livin' by himself. Parents are outta th' picture- not dead I don' think... just travel a lot an' didn't wanna be bothered by a kid so they left `im- I'm guessin'- in th' care of an overly doting grandparent. I'm bettin' that's how Otogi got his shop. Guy's known he was gay since th' day he could walk an' don't give a fuck who knows it- he jus' looks at th' world down that snooty nose `a his like his shit don't stink like anyone else's." Joe cast a questioning glance at the brunette.

"I don't know about Otogi's family life so I'm unable to confirm or deny that part..." Honda smirked. "But the rest sounds pretty much dead on." 

The blonde nodded his head and continued. "An' as for th' two a' ya: In order ta maintain yer good boy image, ya got a job for th' summer, endin' up in Otogi's shop. Ya knew right away he was gay, an' ya were taken in by his pretty looks and by th' way he's always flirtin'. Desperate for a lay, ya talked yerself inta thinkin' his flirtin' with you meant more than his flirtin' with the other guys. Otogi picked up on that an' started askin' ya to do little things like come in early or work extra- always promisin' favor fer favor, only ta have somethin' come up when it came time ta pay up. Then today, he rushed inta the store, prob'ly lookin' mad as hell. When ya asked `im what was up, he told ya I came on ta him, when really it was th' other way aroun' an' he was pissed `cause I ignored him. I'm guessin' he got all flirty with ya an' asked ya ta tail me... maybe even went as far as ta kiss ya when ya hesitated." He gave Honda a grin. "Which, of course, got yer hormones jumpin' to th' point that ya woulda agreed ta pretty much anythin' by th' time he was done." Stopping abruptly he turned to face the brunette. "So?" 

Honda turned and looked at him frankly. "What do you need me to do?" Joe grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. Tightening his grasp, he gently dragged the brunette back into the shadowed overhang of the building they had stopped next to.

"See that house across th' street?" Honda nodded. "I'm willin' ta bet my whip that th' guy I'm after is locked up in there."

"So obviously you need to get in." Joe nodded, studying the layout of the house and mentally comparing it to the blueprints he had hacked into the night before. "Joe..." Honda began hesitantly. "I _am_ curious about one last thing. If Otogi wasn't afraid of you, why'd he have me follow you?"

"Make no mistake, Hon," the blonde answered in an even voice. "He's afraid alright. An' if my suspicions are right, he should be." Honda's eyes widened at Joe's unspoken implication.

"Come on, Joe," he protested weakly. "Otogi may be a... well, he might be a lot of things, but a kidnapper? The guy's got _everything_! Why would he stoop to something so low?" The blonde's eyes shifted from the house to his `partner'.

"That's what I'm gonna find out. Now listen up..."


	3. Chapter 3

"Just a minute. Just a minute, damn it!" Otaki Shuuzou made his way to the foyer, sighing heavily as he remembered the days when he had had servants to open his door for him. It was all Kaiba's fault that he and his house were in the pitiful state they were now.

 _‘But if everything goes as planned...’_ By the time he reached the door he was smiling, amused by his own wicked thoughts. His expression changed to one of surprise when he found himself faced with a brunette youth that appeared to be his grandson's age. Of course, nobody knew that he _had_ a...

"Good evening. Is Otogi here?"

*****

Joe hugged the side of the house closely, waiting to move until he heard the door open. Stealthily he made his way around the perimeter, crouching below window level and taking advantage of the long grasses that grew against the poorly maintained house. As he neared the rear of the building, he ran through the blueprints again in his mind. Provided nothing had changed, the entrance should be right about...

 _‘There!’_ he thought gleefully, eyeing the old fashioned door that shut off the coal chute that had been cut into the brick. Reaching into his coat, Joe brought out a small tool set and began to work on the rusted hasp lock that held the door in place. Within seconds he had it open and, holding his breath, he worked his way down the dusty metal tube. Once he reached the bottom, he paused for a moment to gather his breath and his bearings. Now came the tricky part: determining exactly where in the house the captive was being held. Going solely on instinct, Joe made his way around the interior basement walls, feeling for a door with his hands. 

Cursing lightly as he came up empty handed, he felt his way to the stairs- thankful that the house's stairwells were aligned with each other and not scattered throughout as was the trend with some of the newer structures. _‘When th' basement fails, go for th' attic,’_ he thought, bypassing the second and third story rooms and heading directly for the topmost floor. He grinned as he heard the rumble of two voices; apparently Honda was still occupying the resident. Knowing it was only a matter of time before the man tired of the brunette's chatter, Joe eased the attic door open. Unlike the basement, the sunlight coming in from the high-set windows afforded him an excellent view of the room and immediately he found what he had been seeking: a heavy wooden door set into a wall that blocked off a small section of the peak. 

Joe grinned triumphantly as, upon closer inspection, he noticed a slot in the door- just big enough to slide a plate of food through. Wondering briefly why it was boarded shut, he pulled out his kit again and set to work on the hinges, bypassing the intricate lock system that had been set into the door. Normally he would have relished the challenge, but he knew that he didn't have time. Making short work of the hinge pins, he pressed a shoulder into the door, pushing it open just wide enough to snake his body through. 

The room beyond was dank and musty but that was _not_ the cause of the blonde's breath catching in his throat. The blame for that rested solely on the figure cuffed to the bed and stretched out before him. Joe moistened his lips, unable to resist taking a moment to gaze appreciatively at the captive. Torn and stained black dress pants- their quality evident despite the damage- clung to a pair of long slender legs, the rips offering tantalizing peeks of a well-shaped calf here… an elegantly muscled thigh there... The belt had been removed from his narrow waist, permitting the once-white dress shirt to ride up and show off the negligible line of hair that ran down from his perfect navel, offering a teasing promise of what lay beneath the fastened pants. A large rend in the material showed off a dusky nipple centered in a perfectly defined pectoral muscle, as well as a view of the taut abdomen below. Joe's eyes travelled up the supple neck, taking in what would normally be a pair of full lips had they not been parched and cracked. The pallor of the flesh stretched over the captive's finely defined cheekbones and the lankness of what appeared to be dark brown hair only served to fuel Joe's imagination as to how gorgeous the teen would be once he was cleaned up and at the peak of health. But what really took his breath away were the intense blue eyes that were... glaring at him?

"Did you come here to gawk or did you come here to rescue me?" the brunette snapped impatiently, startling him out of his pleasant thoughts. Joe smirked at the other's statement, finding a perverse delight in the inflammatory words.

"Who th' hell said I was here ta rescue you?" he demanded, purposely giving his voice a husky edge as he continued to eye up the captive.

"Yes, of course," Seto replied sarcastically. "After over a week of captivity, that moron Otaki is going to send a whip wielding stranger to molest me, instructing him to open the door by removing the hinge pins instead of coming in the conventional way." Jou's smirk widened as he sauntered across the room to the bed.

"You mus' be Kaiba Seto," he drawled, reaching into his jacket for his tools once again. Seto's eyes widened considerably as the blonde climbed onto the mattress and straddled him.

"Wh... what the hell are you doing?" he demanded, cursing himself mentally for the stutter. But then again, it wasn't every day that he found himself straddled by an attractive blonde dressed like an action hero. Seto gasped against his will as his rescuer leaned forward, bringing his tightly clad groin within tasting distance. Giving himself a mental shake, he glared into the amber eyes that sparkled down at him teasingly.

"I'm pickin' the cuffs," Joe explained, grinning as he freed one arm and moved on to the other.

"Is it necessary for you to do so in _that_ position?" the brunette demanded. Joe chuckled as he released Seto's other arm and climbed off the bed.

"No, `s not necessary." He gave the taller boy a wink. "But it’s a helluva lot more fun." Seto gaped at the blonde, who suddenly became all business.

"How long since ya moved last?" he asked, grabbing a chafed wrist and massaging it gently. Wincing at the tingle that wasn't necessarily caused by the injury, the brunette jerked his arm away and sat up on the edge of the bed.

"Does it matter?" he snapped, rising abruptly to his feet and instantly swaying into the blonde.

"'pparently it does," Joe replied, gently easing the brunette back to the mattress. "Jus' give yerself a minute. Ya don' have ta rush ta impress me ya know," he teased. Seto rolled his eyes at the blonde's cheek.

"Believe me- whoever you are- impressing you is the last thing I'm interested in," Kaiba snapped, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. Jou smirked at the brunette's reaction, causing his blush to deepen.

"I'm sure it is." The next thing Seto knew, the blonde's face was mere inches from his, amber eyes sparkling teasingly once again. "Unfortunately I don' have time to prove you wrong... right now." Just as suddenly Jou backed away. "You ready ta try this again?" he asked, moving away from Kaiba and allowing him room to stand. Seto nodded, releasing the breath that had somehow caught in his throat and slowly rising to his feet. From then on everything was business again- on Jou's end at least. Seto on the other hand was finding it _very_ hard to concentrate. He tried to tell himself that it was due to stress... lack of nutrition... anything but the lithe bodied blonde that moved through the shadow and light before him. And, by the time they reached the stairs leading down to the second floor, he had just about succeeded- until he felt himself grabbed from behind. The next thing Seto knew a strong arm had snaked around his waist, pulling him back against a firm, warm body. Immediately he started to struggle. "Calm down," Jou's accented voice whispered. "'s just me."

"Like that's supposed to make me feel better?" Seto hissed, ignoring the goose bumps that arose at the sensation of the blonde's hot breath on his ear. "I don't even know your name! And why the hell did you grab me, any... mmph!" Seto's eyes widened in shock as a hand moved over his mouth.

"Name's Joe Wheeler," the blonde began. "An' I grabbed ya `cause whatever it was you was thinkin' about had ya so damned distracted that ya didn't even notice I'd stopped, let alone what you was headed toward." Joe slid his hand from Seto's mouth, bringing it to a rest under his chin. Gently he directed the brunette's gaze toward the head of the stairs leading down to the second floor. Seto narrowed his eyes, trying to see what it was that the blonde was talking about. "There... half way up th' first banister post on th' right." 

The brunette cursed lightly as, focusing in on the area that Joe had described, he saw the unmistakable shape of KaibaCorp's privately developed motion sensor, barely noticeable due to the way it sat flush with the oak that surrounded it. If anything, his near miss caused the brunette to become even angrier, especially when he realized that his own technology was being used against him. "Fine!" he snapped, turning slightly in Joe's arms. "You stopped me. Now let me..." Words and movement ceased as he felt something hard press against his thigh.

 _‘What the...’_ Wrenching himself out of Joe's grasp he turned on him furiously, blue eyes and pale face ablaze. Grinning knowingly, Joe slid the whip that had been dislodged by Kaiba's struggling back to his side.

"Sorry, Kaib'," Joe whispered into his ear, pausing as he moved by him. "Much as I'm lookin' forward to dickin' that fine ass of yours, now just ain't th' time." It was then that Joe learned a powerful lesson: even after nine days of captivity, weakened by near starvation and being cuffed to his bed, Kaiba Seto was _not_ a force to be reckoned with. For the first time in many years, Joe found himself taken by surprise as the brunette grabbed him and whirled him around, bringing their bodies flush.

"And who says that- when that day comes- you'll be doing the dicking, Wheeler?" he purred dangerously, smirking as Joe jerked himself out of his grasp.

"Come on," the blonde growled sullenly, pissed beyond reason that the other had caught him unawares. Suddenly, what Kaiba had said sunk in and, at the next landing, he turned to the brunette with a grin. "When, eh?" Kaiba looked at him like he was insane.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Back there..." Joe tipped his head in the direction of the stairs. "You said `when that day comes'." Kaiba rolled his eyes impatiently.

"Get over yourself, Wheeler. You're imagining things." Joe's grin widened as he noticed the faint tinge of pink in the CEO's cheeks.

"Careful Kaib'," he goaded, "Your Freudian Slip is showin'." Seto gaped at him, stunned by both his impertinence and the fact that he knew such a term. Slowly his shock faded to reluctant interest as he watched Joe edge along the wall, checking for any hindrances in the next leg of their escape. His rescuer was intriguing to say the least; his unpolished language and attitude hiding what obviously was an intelligence that ran deeper than his appearance led one to believe. And speaking of appearance, the blonde was _definitely_ attractive. His quick grin and teasing eyes had caused Seto's breath to catch several times in the short period since Joe had freed him, and the gold bangs that peeked out from his hat highlighted his amber eyes. And his body... the way that lithe body moved so confidently oozed a sexuality that Seto found hard to ignore, especially when... "Come on!" Joe's whispered command brought him out of his musings. Much to his surprise the blonde bypassed the stairs, heading instead to the large window at the end of the hall.

"What are you doing?" Seto hissed when Joe unlatched the panes and pushed them open.

"Gettin' us outta here," he muttered, leaning out and pushing on something before eyeing a tree that stood nearby. "Otaki's not at th' door. God only knows where he is, so usin' the way I came in is out." Seto's eyes widened as Joe disappeared out the window, sticking his hand back in to beckon for him to follow. He made it to the opening just in time to hear a hiss, followed by the sound of something slapping against wood. Cautiously he stepped out onto the small overhang that covered the side entrance to the house. The next thing Seto knew, Joe was holding him impossibly close, and the solidness beneath his feet vanished as they briefly flew through the air to tumble gently to the ground. Too stunned to speak, he watched as his rescuer rose to his feet and freed his whip from the tree in one fluid motion. Coiling it quickly and snapping it in place, Joe walked over to Seto. "You okay?" the blonde asked, offering him a hand up. Seto nodded and accepted the hand, allowing Joe to pull him to his feet. "Well," the blonde said cheerfully, releasing his hand as they began to walk toward the street, "That went better than... son of a bitch!" Joe took off at a run and after a moment Seto followed, stopping short when he saw Joe kneel in front of a body that had been dragged into the shadows of the privacy bushes at the edge of Otaki's lawn.

"Kami!" he exclaimed, his face paling in shock, "That's...Honda Hiroto!" He turned toward Joe to explain. "He works for..."

"Otogi Ryuji," Joe interrupted, without looking up from assessing the still form of the stocky brunette. "I know." He sighed in relief when he found a strong, steady pulse. Reassured that Honda was just knocked out, he reached into the boy's jacket and rifled around, pulling out a cell phone and tossing it over to Kaiba. "Get on th' phone and get a limo here _now_!" he commanded. Seto opened his mouth to protest, but was immediately cut off. "Do it!" Glaring at the blonde, Seto flipped open the phone and dialed a number, interrupting his driver's stream of questions and curtly giving him directions. He then hung up the phone and threw it back down to Joe, ignoring the twinge of jealousy he felt at the way the blonde cradled Honda's head in his lap. Finally his curiosity got the better of him and he crouched down next to his rescuer.

"What do you think he's doing here?" he asked, gesturing toward the prone brunette with his head. "And how do you know who he is?"

"Honda here was partially responsible for gettin' ya outta there," Joe explained, his eyes anxiously scanning the road. "An' he an' I met jus' before you an' I did... when Otogi sent him ta tail me." Seto looked at him in confusion.

"But how... _why_ would Otogi have you followed; and why would Honda be helping _you_ if he was working for him?" Joe blew into his bangs impatiently.

"'s complicated," he replied shortly. Kaiba waited a moment before pressing further.

"Well? I'm wait..." Joe held up a hand to silence him. The brunette opened his mouth to protest when suddenly he saw the unmistakable shape of a KaibaCorp limo turn the corner. Joe moved Honda's head and swiftly rose to his feet, smirking at the grudging admiration that showed on Seto's face.

"Help me get him into th' car, then I'll talk." Working together, they hefted Honda's dead weight into the limo and onto a seat before climbing into the vehicle themselves. As soon as the door closed the driver's voice came over the intercom.

"Kaiba-Sama," he began deferentially, "Where have you been? You've been gone a week! Everyone's been worried and..."

"That's enough!" Kaiba snapped into the speaker, ignoring Joe's disapproving look. "Take us immediately to..." Seto looked at the other teen questioningly.

"Th' Kame game shop, please." Joe directed, pushing the brunette out of the way to speak to the driver himself. "Damn, Kaib', he sighed, giving the CEO an annoyed look, "Would it kill ya to be a little nice? The guy was jus..."

"My interaction with my employees is none of your concern," Seto snapped. "Now talk."

"Christ," Joe growled, pulling his hat from his head and slamming it to the seat in frustration as he ran a hand through his hair. The action sent a cascade of gold tresses flowing into his eyes and down his neck to his shoulders. And when the blonde's furious amber gaze turned to Seto, the brunette swore he had never seen a more stunning sight. So intent was he on the picture Joe made that he failed to hear what he said.

"Uh..." Seto gave himself a mental shake. "What were you saying?"

"I _said_ ," Joe repeated, speaking as if to a child, "I jus’ can’t believe that sweet kid's yer brother." Seto's eyes opened wide.

"Mokuba?"

"Yeah, Mokuba," Joe replied. "How else did ya think I'd know ta come after ya?" he eyed the brunette warily. "Ain't ya supposed ta be a genius or somethin'?" Joe smirked as Seto's face flushed with color. "Aw, it's okay, Kaib'," he placated teasingly. "No one can be at th' top of their game all the time." Not giving the brunette time to respond he began to fill him in, briefly running over everything that had happened since the previous night. At the end, Seto sat as if stunned.

"The Noah program..." he said hoarsely. "I can't believe..." Once again he gave himself a mental shake, his gaze falling on the still slumbering Honda. "So what do you think went wrong there?" Joe shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't know," he replied honestly. "That's why I had ya call for the limo. _Something_ outed him to Otaki and if it was what I think it was, we've got trouble." The blonde stopped speaking as the limo pulled to a stop. Immediately he flung open the door, freezing in his tracks at the sight of the Kame game shop's door hanging half off its hinges. "Now I _know_ we got trouble!" Joe broke into a run. "Come on!"


	4. Chapter 4

Without waiting for Seto's reply Joe took off, rapidly covering the short distance between the street and the building. Avoiding the broken door at the front of the store, he approached the building's side and waited for the brunette to catch up. Quietly, the two made their way to the rear of the building, pausing as they reached the corner.

"Wait here," Joe instructed shortly, pressing his back against the brick structure and stealthily sliding toward the back door. He stopped abruptly when he felt a hand grasp his wrist.

"I'm coming with you." Ice blue eyes glinted in the darkness, reflecting the light of the security lamp that hung above the door. "My brother..." Joe, whose eyes had hardened angrily upon being detained, softened his gaze.

"Listen, Kaib'," he began, moving his free hand to the one on his wrist with the intent of freeing himself, "I know yer worried `bout the kid." Unable to loosen Seto's grip, Joe gently stroked the back of the brunette's hand. "But use yer head. You rushin' in there to look for Mokuba might jus' be what th' bastards are countin' on." The grasp on his wrist loosened and Jou finally pried the tense fingers away. "Besides," he continued, squeezing Seto's hand lightly before dropping his own back to his side. "Ya don't even know if he's in there." Steady amber eyes searched the face of the taller boy. "Trus' me on this, okay?" 

After a moment's hesitation, Seto nodded briefly and the blonde sighed in relief. Continuing his cautious approach, Joe slid to the door and, once again choosing the hinges over the intricate security lock, worked the door open and silently slipped inside. Making use of the neatly stacked boxes of stock, he flitted from shadow to shadow, quickly making his way to the door that separated the storage area from the store proper. Joe placed his ear against the thinner interior door and, hearing nothing, easily jimmied the lock and snaked his way around the doorframe and into the main room. The light from the windows and broken door gave the room a luminous glow, affording the blonde an excellent view of most of the area. Quickly scanning the room, he noticed something tacked to the door that led to the living quarters. Sliding along the wall, Joe made his way over, warily stepping out of the shadows to scan the note that had been hung there. 

_Eye Candy Joe,_ it began, _By now you've realized that whatever plan you formulated in that pretty blonde head of yours has failed- even if you **did** manage to assist my pet in escaping. Asking that dolt Honda to assist you was your first mistake; he always did have more brawn than brain. Fortunately, my Ojii-san saw through his pathetic ruse and disposed of the problem, immediately contacting me to pick up some extra `insurance' to assure the success of our deal. If you want the prisoners freed, and if Seto-kun wants to see his sweet Otouto again, you must do precisely as follows: You and he are to be at the site of the Noah project by sundown tomorrow- alone. No police, and no bodyguards for you, my pet. Once the program has been handed over, the captives will be returned, unharmed. And don't bother attempting another rescue, gorgeous; the prisoners will be on the island, with us. Until we meet again, O.R. _

By the time Joe had finished, he was scowling in anger and disgust. Removing the paper and shoving it into his pocket, he resumed his search of the room, only to be distracted by a noise from the behind the counter. Immediately he pressed against the wall again, his left hand hovering over his whip as he crept his way toward the source of the noise. Finding nothing obvious, Joe scanned the area inch by inch, his eyes finally coming to rest on a set of long, narrow doors, presumably blocking a storage area under the cash register. Squatting down slightly, he then noticed that one was pushed out slightly, the opening so negligible that even his eyes had missed it in the poorly lit area. Unable to use his whip due to the restricted space, Joe stood back up and extended a leg, setting his foot against the small knob that served as the cabinet door's handle and harshly pushing it open. Hearing a muffled cry, the blonde dropped to his knees and flung the other door open. "What the..." 

Quickly overcoming his surprise, Joe extricated the small body that had been hidden inside, smiling reassuringly as Mokuba's expression of fear turned to one of overwhelming relief. "'s okay, Kiddo," Joe soothed, immediately beginning to loosen the knot that tied the gag around Mokuba's head. As he continued to work on the stubborn material he quickly scanned the boy over, his fury mounting as he took in the young one's appearance. His left shoe was scuffed and had a large rend in the canvas; the ankle above the sneaker was bruised and swollen. The denim of Mokuba's jeans had also been shredded, showing several angry red scrapes on his calf and thigh. The boy's left arm was covered in the same blood caked wounds and both wrists were chafed, the right one still bearing the remnants of the rope that had bound him. The rest of him appeared undamaged, save for the dirt and the blood that covered the youth from head to toe. Cursing lightly, Joe gave the knot an impatient yank and finally removed the gag. Before he could enquire as to what happened, Mokuba attempted to speak.

"Se..." the boy grimaced, forced himself to swallow, and tried again. "Seto?" he rasped, looking anxiously at the blonde. Joe shushed him, pushing the damp raven bangs out of his eyes.

"That's enough talkin' for a while," the blonde smirked as a now very familiar stubborn expression crossed the boy's face as he opened his mouth to repeat his question. "Guess that puts ta rest any doubts I had `bout yous two bein' brothers," he teased, gently silencing the boy with a finger to his lips and chuckling at his suddenly hopeful expression. "Yeah, I got `im," he replied to the silent demand. Slowly he slid the boy off of his lap, easing him into a seated position against the wall. "Now you jus' stay put an' I'll..." Seeing Mokuba's expression change once again Joe whirled around, quickly pressing against the wall to avoid being trampled.

The next thing he knew Mokuba was being caught up in a gentle hug by his brother. "I thought I told ya ta stay put," Joe growled, more frustrated by the fact that Kaiba had once again caught him by surprise than that he had disobeyed him. Unsurprisingly the brunette ignored him, concentrating instead on his injured brother.

"Otouto, what happened?" he demanded, finally releasing the smaller boy enough to where he could talk. Seto winced at the hoarse sound of his brother's voice as he attempted to speak. "Never mind, Mokie." He silenced Mokuba's protest by lying a finger over his mouth just as Joe had, causing the boy to roll his eyes and glare at the two older males. Joe's amused chuckle and Seto's continued inspection were abruptly interrupted by yet another noise, this time from the front of the store.

With a look that brooked no argument, Joe instructed the brothers to remain where they were as he edged toward the counter's end on his hands and knees. Seto's eyes lingered on the blonde's retreating form for a moment before turning back to his brother. He felt his face warm as a knowing look crept into Mokuba's eyes and, when the boy opened his mouth to remark, Seto once again silenced him- using his hand this time instead of a finger. "Hush," he mouthed, rolling his eyes as he felt Mokuba's smirk against his palm. Slowly the sound of two whispered voices reached their ears.

"...happened?" the first one queried, the fright evident in his voice.

"I do not know, Nodjmet," the second one replied, sounding more angry than frightened. Upon hearing the term of endearment, Joe immediately realized who the newcomers were and rose to his feet. He waited until the couple drew near before calling out to them lowly. Caught by surprise, Yugi `eeped' and ducked behind Yami, whose forehead began to glow menacingly. Joe, having heard Yami's story from Yugi as he had dried off the other night, paused for a moment to gaze at the phenomenon before calling out again.

"Easy there, Yami. `s Joe." Almost reluctantly the light faded and Yugi peeked out cautiously from behind the slightly taller boy. Sighing in relief as he realized it truly ~was~ Joe, he took Yami's hand and moved toward the counter.

"What in the name of Ra happened?" Yami demanded, surveying the knocked over shelves and merchandise scattered along the floor.

"And where are Ojii-chan and Mokuba?" Yugi asked before suddenly doing a double take. "And what are you doing here? Did you find Kaiba-Kun? Is he alright?" The boy's eyes grew impossibly rounder, "Ooh, does he have anything to do with what happened here?" He blushed slightly as Joe, despite the situation, broke into a hearty laugh. After a moment, Yugi's own sheepish chuckle joined in. Yami turned to the smaller boy, fighting back a grin himself at his lover's enthusiastic questioning. Before he could speak however a raspy giggle was heard from behind the counter, capturing the newcomers' attention. Quickly they moved around the counter, both gasping at what they saw. "Kaiba-Kun... Mokuba... Oh, Mokuba," Yugi cried, "what happened?"

"Not now, Nodjmet," Yami admonished gently, taking in the sight of not only the injured boy but the pale and weary brunette holding him. "Let's go upstairs and let Mokuba get cleaned up first," he smirked down at his lover. "Then you can start with your questions." Yugi pulled a wry face at his other half but relented, moving away from the entry to allow the brothers room to pass. Much to everyone's surprise, Kaiba offered a wan smile as thanks as he rose to his feet, never loosening his grasp on Mokuba.

"Ni-sama, I can walk you know," the boy protested, struggling lightly in his brother's arms. "Come on, Ni-sama; put me down!" Joe chuckled as he watched the two follow Yami and Yugi up the stairs. Just before the door closed, Seto stuck his head back through the opening.

"You coming, Wheeler?" Joe paused a moment, slightly surprised that Kaiba would bother to ask.

"I'll be up in a minute," he replied, nodding toward the ruined door. "I'm gonna try an' fix things for th' night. The Mutous' entire livelihood's in this store an' I'm not about ta let another asshole in ta take what's not been wrecked." Seto watched as the blonde picked up the boards from a couple of damaged shelves and moved to the gaping entrance. Sighing lightly he stood Mokuba on the stairs and gestured toward the living quarters with his head, giving the youth a warning look as his gray eyes took on a teasing light. He waited until his brother had made it safely up the stairs before stepping back into the store. In that short space of time Joe had managed to right the door and set it into its frame. Currently, he was attempting to secure it with a piece of shelving, cursing lightly as the board kept slipping down before he could nail it in place. Needless to say, he was surprised when a second pair of hands appeared, holding the offending plank in its spot. "Thanks." Joe gave the brunette a questioning glance before turning back to the task at hand. "Is the kid gonna be okay?" he asked around the sounds of the hammer.

"He'll be fine," Seto smirked wryly. "He's a Kaiba." Joe snorted as he finished pounding in the last nail.

"An' what th' hell's _that_ supposed ta mean?" he demanded, placing his hands on his hips. "It's not like that makes ya invincible or unable ta feel pain or love." Seto quirked a sardonic eyebrow at that, smirking as a slight blush colored the blonde's face. "Th' way you and Mokuba look at each other an' watch out for each other- it's obvious ya mean th' world to each other," Joe explained, determined not to let the silent taunt get to him. "And that, if nothin' else, proves yer both just as human as the rest of us." Seto remained silent as the shorter boy moved to put the tools away.

"There was no note," the brunette said suddenly, for some reason anxious to break the awkward silence that had fallen. "Whoever took Mokuba didn't leave a note." Joe sighed and reached into his coat.

"Actually, they did," he began, pulling the paper out of his pocket and handing it to Seto. "I found it jus' before I found Mokuba." He watched as the brunette read the note, his blue eyes darkening in anger by the time he had finished.

"Otaki Raiju..." he hissed, his eyes narrowing as he recalled the name Otaki Shuuzou had uttered. The brunette snorted derisively. "I always thought Otogi acted like a cat in heat. The bastard must have altered his name when he opened his shop so I wouldn't make the connection." Joe nodded his agreement.

"I was gonna bring the note out upstairs once everyone had settled down." The blonde sighed deeply and shook his head. "Yug's gonna be devastated; his grandfather means th' world ta him." He looked at Kaiba squarely. "An' things aren't gonna get any better when th' bastards realize Mokuba got away. Come on," he muttered, taking the letter from the brunette and placing it back in his pocket. "We might as well get this over with. What?" he demanded, seeing a smirk settle on the other teen's face.

"Nothing... Eye Candy Joe." Kaiba's smirk widened as Joe's face flushed with color.

"'least I don't have some flamboyant asshole claimin' me as his pet," he came back sharply. Joe turned toward the stairs, only to have Seto grab him and whirl him around almost violently.

"I am _no_ man's pet," he hissed, blue eyes boring into amber. Joe opened his mouth to retort, only to have his words silenced by a hard, angry kiss. Almost immediately it was over and Seto was pushing him away, making his way to the stairs. Joe watched him retreat, snaking his tongue out and tracing his lips for another taste of the brunette.

 _‘Damn...’_ he thought as he attempted to will his forming erection away. _‘One fuckin' kiss and he's got me hard...’_ Shaking his head and giving up Joe untucked his shirt and pulled it down over his groin. _‘Hope that's enough.’_ he looked down at himself doubtfully, heaved a sigh, and slowly made his way up the stairs.

"Have a seat, Joe," Yugi invited upon seeing him enter the living room. "Yami's getting some snacks and Kaiba-Kun's helping Mokuba clean up." Violet eyes gazed at him warmly. "Kaiba-kun told us what you were doing down there." Yugi paused as the blonde's face took on a flustered expression. "What is it?"

"'s nothin'," Joe replied, blushing further at the close scrutiny of the shorter teen. "I... jus' didn't think he'd say anythin'. I mean it was jus’ a..."

"It wasn't _just_ anything," Yami retorted as he came into the room. "Kaiba said you got it up nicely." Joe gaped at the near twin lovers, at a complete loss for words. Hearing Seto enter the room he stormed over to the brunette, who simply raised an eyebrow at the other's angry approach.

"Ya told `em?" he accused lowly, eyeing Kaiba incredulously as he tried to ignore the curious stares coming from the couch. Kaiba looked at him questioningly. "'bout what happened downstairs?" Joe hissed. Seto stared at him blankly, trying to figure out what had the blonde so worked up. When it finally dawned on him he started to chuckle, his laughter increasing as Joe grew even more flustered.

"Yes Wheeler," he drawled, finally containing his mirth. "I told them all about you... and me... and the door." Seto smirked as he watched the embarrassed comprehension dawn on Joe's face.

"Fuck you, Kaib'." he mumbled, seeing the amused glint in the other's eyes. The brunette made a `tsking' noise and leaned closer before replying, ensuring that only the blonde could hear.

"We've already had this conversation, remember? As I stated before; when that time comes _I'll_ be..."

"What are you two talking about, Ni-sama?" Mokuba's `innocent' inquiry cut Seto short and sent the two jumping apart. The raven haired boy giggled at the flustered expressions on the older boys' faces and then limped over to the couch without waiting for an answer. Dropping his gaze, Seto followed his brother and Joe trailed behind, his thoughts jumbled in confusion. _He_ was the one who always got the jump on people. _He_ was the one who was always able stay focused and not jump to embarrassing conclusions. And yet, not only had Kaiba managed to sneak up on him and catch him off guard _repeatedly_ , the brunette had begun to mess with his mind as well. Never had Joe met someone who perplexed him as much as Seto did, and that irritated the hell out of him.

"'m either gonna hafta fuck `im or kill `im," he muttered under his breath as he flopped dispiritedly onto the couch.

"What was that, Joe?" Yugi asked politely. The blonde gave him a half-hearted smile.

"'s nothin'." He nodded at Mokuba, pointedly ignoring the brunette who was once again holding the boy. "Go ahead, kid. Tell us what happened." The four older teens listened attentively while Mokuba told of the men who had broken into the shop just after it had closed and taken those present captive. Yugi's face paled as he listened to Mokuba's account, immediately realizing that his Ojii-chan had been taken as well. Sensing his lover's distress, Yami drew him into his lap.

"Don't worry, Nodjmet," he whispered reassuringly as he nodded to Mokuba, encouraging him to continue. "We'll get him back." The youth then proceeded to tell how, after binding and gagging them, the kidnappers had thrown them into the back of a truck that he had immediately recognized as one of Otogi's fleet. Content that they had sufficiently subdued their captives, the men left them unguarded in the back and the truck pulled away. At this point Mokuba stopped and leaned back to smile up at his brother.

"Those defence and escape classes you forced me to take really paid off," he said, his smile fading to a smirk reminiscent of Seto's. "And those baka's couldn't tie an effective knot to save their lives. By the time we'd reached the first stoplight I'd freed my hands." The boy winced as he shifted, the material of his borrowed clothing rubbing painfully on the angry scrapes. "If it hadn't been for the tumble I took when the light went green, I would have been pretty much unharmed. Thank Kami they were taking the less congested roads or I'd have been..." Mokuba left his sentence unfinished as he felt his brother's arm tighten protectively around him. "So that's what happened," he concluded, turning a remorseful glance toward the remainder of the group. "I'm sorry I couldn't free the others, but..." The youth was cut off by a sharp noise from Joe.

"Wait..." the blonde demanded warily, "they got someone else besides Mutou-San?" Mokuba's face paled.

"I... I'm so sorry, Joe," he stuttered, his voice wavering slightly. "But they got Professor Hawkins too."


	5. Chapter 5

Four pairs of eyes watched the blonde; three of them filled with anxiety, one with curiosity. Seto had no idea who Hawkins was, but it was obvious from Joe's reaction that the man meant a lot to him. Upon hearing Mokuba's words, the blonde had instantly paled, his eyes glinting with what looked suspiciously like tears. Joe had immediately blinked them back in an effort to regain his composure, but Seto wasn't fooled. He had seen the same expression on his own face many times throughout years of repressed sorrow: the tautly drawn lips, the blotches of color on an otherwise pale face, the empty eyes… Seto shuddered inwardly at the sight of those gorgeous, sparkling, teasing eyes suddenly dull and devoid of life.

The nervous silence was abruptly interrupted by a muffled pounding sound coming from the store. Yugi's and Mokuba's eyes widened in fright and, before anyone could speak, Joe was on his feet and gone. He returned moments later, still silent but with a sheepish expression on his face. Stepping aside, he ushered a very disheveled Honda into the living quarters. The room once again filled with gasps and questions and, by the time everything had been re-told, it was midnight. Mokuba had fallen asleep and, seeing the dozing boy in Seto's arms, Yami rose and directed Kaiba to Sugorokou’s room before turning to the two remaining teens.

"I'm afraid that only leaves the futon in our room and the sofa out here," he began apologetically, only to be cut off by Joe.

"No worries," the blonde muttered, offering the other a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'll kip out here for th' night Honda can have the futon. Really," he insisted, seeing Honda's dubious look. "This way I can keep an ear open should they try an' come back for Mokuba." Joe dropped his eyes away from Yami's piercing gaze and flopped down on the couch. "See?" again he gave them a half-hearted smile. "Comfy as can be." He grabbed his hat and tilted it over his eyes, falling silent. Yami stared at the blonde a moment more before sighing and shaking his head, leading the stocky brunette toward the sleeping quarters.

*****

Seto rolled over again, stiffening slightly when he felt Mokuba shift in his sleep. Knowing the boy needed his rest, he slipped out from under the covers and padded across the floor to the window. He didn't know _why_ he was having problems falling asleep; Kami knew it wasn't because of the unfamiliar room- he'd spent too much time in hotels for that to be the issue. If anything, he should be dozing comfortably, seeing as how he was clean and in a real bed for the first time in over a week. He even had his own clothes and toiletries, thanks to the spare suitcase that was kept in the limo should an emergency business trip be required.

 _‘Stop fooling yourself, Seto,’_ he berated himself silently, _‘You know why you can't sleep. You just don't want to admit to yourself that he's gotten to you like nobody else has, and in less than twenty-four hours, too. Kami knows the walls around your heart are thick but apparently you didn't build them high enough, because he climbed right over them, ne?’_ The brunette shook his head and corrected himself, allowing a silly grin to settle on his lips.

"He didn't climb, he soared," he whispered, closing his eyes and shivering slightly as he recalled the delicious sensation of Joe holding him tight whilst they flew through the air. His pleasured expression drifted away as he thought about the latter part of the evening. Despite the constant chatter that had begun with Honda's arrival, Joe had remained uncharacteristically silent, speaking only when addressed directly and occasionally giving a lackluster impression of his brilliant smile. As the time passed, Seto had finally noticed a light creeping back into the blonde's eyes; a determined one that made the brunette feel somewhat uncomfortable. A sudden noise outside startled him out of his reverie and he peered down anxiously, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw an alley cat scamper away. The relief was short-lived however as, in watching the animal flee, it dawned on him what that determined light in the blonde's eyes had meant. Moving quietly so as not to wake Mokuba, Seto made his way across the room and eased open the door. The sight that met his eyes did not surprise him and, sighing lightly, he made his way into the living room. The slight tensing of Joe's shoulders as he hunched over his pack gave away the fact that, for once, the brunette's approach did not go unnoticed.

"Go back ta bed, Kaib'," the blonde growled without turning around. Seto ignored the command.

"And just where do you think you're going, Wheeler?" he demanded, keeping his voice low so as not to wake the others.

"I'm goin' ta get Art," came the terse reply. "Now go back ta bed. Ya need th' rest after th' week you've been through." Seto smirked at the reluctant concern.

"The note said we both had to come," he reminded the other.

"Yeah, well… that was before they knew Mokuba got away. Now that he's safe there's no sense in ya puttin' yerself in danger."

"And just how are you planning on getting there?" the brunette asked coolly. "Do you even know which island it _is/ _? KaibaCorp owns many…" Seto silenced himself as Jou turned on him and grabbed his collar, amber eyes glinting fiercely.__

__"Art took me offa th' streets an' gave me a decent life for the firs' time in years," he hissed, "an' I'll be damned if I'm gonna let `im be held captive one second longer than necessary!" Seto held the blonde's gaze, ignoring the way Joe's sudden proximity was affecting his heart rate and breathing._ _

__"So instead of getting some rest and making use of resources that will be available to you in a few hours time, you're going to rush off gung-ho and…" once again the brunette fell silent as a hot, bruising mouth crushed his own._ _

__"Shut up, will ya?" Jou pled, his amber eyes filled with anger and desire and a thousand other emotions. Forcibly, he kissed Seto again. "Jus' shut up an' let me go!" Seto shook his head slightly and, tangling a hand in Joe's golden tresses, brought their mouths together again. Tenderly he caressed the blonde's lips with his own, trading pain for comfort, anger for acceptance and, finally, desire for desire as Joe's lips became pliant and gentled their movement against his own. Only then did Seto deepen the kiss, pulling back to nip slightly on the blonde's bottom lip and immediately taking advantage when Joe parted his lips to growl appreciatively. His questing tongue was voraciously welcomed as Joe immediately joined the dance, using his own tongue to tease and coax the invading presence deeper into his mouth. Slowly the hand grasping Seto's collar relaxed, moving up to caress the brunette's cheek before twining itself in his soft chestnut locks. Finally feeling the blonde relax, Seto broke the kiss and pulled back slightly, gazing into Joe's half-lidded eyes._ _

__"Don't run from me Joe," he whispered, bringing his hand from the back of the blonde's head to brush the bangs from his eyes. "Don't run. Let me help you." Joe closed his eyes and swallowed before acquiescing with an imperceptible nod of his head._ _

__Seto sighed his relief and dropped back into the couch, smirking lightly as the blonde moved to join him._ _

__"You're a pain in th' ass; ya know that don't ya?" Joe said, pressing against his side and mock glaring at him. Seto smiled, glad to see the teasing light back in those amber eyes. His smile took on a slightly wicked twist as he leaned toward the blonde, intent on doing some teasing of his own._ _

__"Hnn… not yet I haven't been, Wheeler," he replied, his eyes taking on a decidedly sultry hue. "But soon… very soon." Seto found the tables turned once again as Joe smirked back and slid into his lap, twisting himself to where he was straddling the brunette._ _

__"'s that so?" he rumbled huskily, leaning in and nipping at Seto's ear. The blonde chuckled lowly at the surprised gasp he got in response. "What's wrong with right now?" Joe pulled away with a grin, expecting to see a look of surprise or a blush of embarrassment. His teasing smile faded however, when he saw the heated hunger in Seto's eyes. Growling lightly, the brunette brought his hands to Joe's waist, pushing the blonde's hips down against his groin. Joe's eyes widened slightly before dropping closed completely as he felt Seto's erection dig into his thigh. "Damn," he gasped, his own cock twitching at the thought of that hardness being pressed against other places._ _

__"Believe me, Wheeler," Seto purred lasciviously, "If it weren't for Mokie's little habit of waking up frightened in unfamiliar places, I'd take you up on that. But unfortunately…" he wordlessly finished his sentence by attempting to gently push the blonde away._ _

__"Oh _hell/ _no," Joe growled, grabbing Seto's hand and placing it over his prominent erection, eliciting a hiss of appreciation from the brunette. "There's no _way_ that yer leavin’ me like this." As if to emphasize his point, he pushed himself against the taller boy, trapping his hand between them as he leaned in to taste the creamy skin of Seto's neck. The combined sensations of Joe's hungry lips caressing his flesh and Joe's khaki clad erection pressing into his hand sent a shiver up Kaiba's spine and, when the blonde nipped sharply at the juncture of his neck and shoulder, he couldn't hold back his moan. Dredging up his last shreds of control, Seto attempted to reason with his tormentor once again.___ _

____"Wheeler..."_ _ _ _

____"Hmmm?" Seto's eyes rolled back slightly as Joe's heated breath caressed his ear._ _ _ _

____"We can't… not here…" Joe chuckled huskily, tracing the cusp of the brunette's ear with his tongue._ _ _ _

____"I know." Suddenly that teasing mouth was gone, along with Joe's weight, as the blonde slid off of his lap and settled once again at his side. Despite the fact that that had been his goal, Seto couldn't help but feel disappointed… until Joe pulled his head down to whisper in his ear. "But I've got another idea." Gently pushing the brunette back into the corner of the couch Joe slid down to the floor and opened his pack, removing a lightweight blanket from within. He then rejoined Seto on the sofa, draping the blanket over their laps. Sliding one arm between the brunette's hips and the couch he drew himself in closely, resting his head on the taller boy's shoulder. Bringing his free hand up to cup the back of Seto's head, he pulled him down for a surprisingly gentle kiss before pulling back just enough to look into his eyes. "Damn, but you're gorgeous," he whispered, releasing the brunette's head to trace a finger down his aristocratic nose and across his high cheekbones before returning it to his hair. "Nobody's ever gotten under my skin th' way that you have." Seto watched as a light blush colored Joe's cheeks. "Jus' so ya know… I don' usually… I mean, I've never…" Closing his eyes and swallowing harshly, the blonde forced the words out of his mouth. "I don' want ya thinkin' I'm easy or loose for bein' like this so soon after meetin' ya `cause I'm not. Hell, it usually takes at _least_ a coupla times of seein' a guy before I even kiss `im but damn it, Seto, there's jus' somethin' about ya that…" A gentle kiss put a stop to his embarrassed rambling._ _ _ _

____"Look at me, Joe," Seto commanded softly, waiting until the blonde opened his eyes before continuing. "It's alright," he assured, the honesty of his statement evident in his eyes, "I know what you mean and trust me, I feel the same way."_ _ _ _

____"Oh thank God," the blonde breathed before pulling Seto's head down again, "'Cause I _so_ didn't want ta have ta take care of this myself." The brunette's amused chuckle turned into a moan as Joe proceeded to plunder his mouth relentlessly. Removing his hand from Seto's hair, Joe snaked it under the blanket. Deftly unbuttoning his pants, the blonde arched his hips slightly, pushing the trousers down along with his boxers and allowing his long, turgid cock to spring free. Much to Joe's appreciation, Seto's hand was there to catch it; almost immediately the brunette began to stroke him in a light, teasing grasp. Joe then moved his hand to Seto's waist and, using the arm he had slid behind the brunette's back as leverage, he pushed Seto's hips up and eased the silk pyjama bottoms down and out of his way. Once the brunette's cock was free, Joe traced a finger up the rigid length, circling it around the ridge of the head before moving it up further to press gently into the moist slit at the crown. Seto tore away from the kiss with a gasp, instinctively tightening his grip on Joe's cock. Purring appreciatively, Joe wrapped his hand around the brunette's impressive erection and began to pump the heated flesh. "Fuck, Seto," he whispered huskily, "I can't wait `til I can do more with this massive cock of yours besides stroke it." To emphasize his point the blonde drew his hand out from under the blanket and, staring at Seto seductively, placed the finger that had toyed with the brunette's cock head into his mouth. Seto watched the action hungrily, moaning wantonly when Joe slid another finger between his lips, sucking and laving them suggestively. Feeling his erection pulse with need he pulled the teasing digits from the blonde's mouth and nipped at them himself before guiding Joe's hand back to its task._ _ _ _

____"Is that so?" Seto growled lasciviously, thumbing the tiny opening of the cock in his hand and spreading the pre-cum over the velvety tip. "And what would you do, Joe?" he whispered heatedly, relentlessly continuing his sweet torture of the sensitive flesh until the blonde was writhing beside him. "Would you wrap your lips around my cock and let me fuck your mouth? Or would you spread your legs for me and let me bury myself deep inside that hot ass of yours?" Joe groaned as the delicious dirty talk flowed from the brunette's mouth._ _ _ _

____"Don't matter," he panted, leaning in to suckle at Seto's neck again, "'cause either way ya wanted me, as soon as you were done I'd have ya beneath me, fillin' ya with my dick and makin' ya scream." He punctuated his statement with a nip, breaking the skin of Seto's neck and lapping at the blood before claiming the brunette's mouth in a searing embrace of lips, teeth, and tongue. No more words were spoken; the darkened room filled with harsh gasps, panted breaths and muted moans as the two strong-willed men continued to pleasure each other, pulling each other to the brink._ _ _ _

____It was Joe who came first, unable to hold back his seed when Seto stopped his stroking to slide his hand lower, teasingly probing the blonde's entrance. The hoarse cry of pleasure that tore from Joe's throat and the vision of the beautiful blonde in the throes of his orgasm sent Seto over the edge. Parting his lips in a wordless cry he shuddered his release, unknowingly painting as sensual a picture for Joe as the blonde had for him. "Holy shit," Joe said weakly, closing his eyes as he leaned his trembling body into Seto's. "That was…" The sound of a door opening interrupted him. Throwing the brunette a panicked look, he flung himself toward the opposite end of the couch and lay down, pretending to be asleep. Unable to retreat to the safety of his room, Seto slouched down as well- and just in time._ _ _ _

____"See Yugi; I told you there was nothing out here." Yami's voice sounded slightly irritated._ _ _ _

____"I know I heard something," the shorter boy whispered back. "I'm gonna go check on Joe… make sure he's alright." The blonde panicked momentarily and then rolled over, giving an exaggerated `snore.'_ _ _ _

____"He's fine, Nodjmet," Yami mumbled through a yawn. "Don't go over there and wake him up; he needs his rest for tom… er later today. Now come on. Let's go back to bed." Yugi sighed heavily and, scanning the room one last time, followed his lover back into their room. After a moment Joe felt the couch shift as Seto rose to his feet. Silently he stood as well, moving to the brunette and resting his head on the taller boy's shoulder._ _ _ _

____"I'd better get to bed too, Joe," Seto whispered. He stepped away slightly and brought a hand to Joe's chin, gently lifting his head up so that he could look in his eyes. "No running," he reminded him softly, leaning down to brush his lips against the blonde's._ _ _ _

____"No runnin'," Joe agreed, returning the gesture before stepping away completely to allow Seto to return to his room. Following the retreating figure with his eyes, Joe heaved a satisfied sigh and moved back to the sofa. Picking up his hat he once again tilted it over his eyes and, within a matter of minutes, was asleep._ _ _ _


	6. Chapter 6

Joe stretched languidly and rolled over, slowly coming into consciousness. Running a hand through his already tousled hair he sat up, smiling as a pleasant rumbling voice reached his ears from the kitchen. Stretching once again, he rose to his feet and crossed the living room with the intent of greeting the source of the voice only to hesitate once he reached the archway that connected the two rooms. 

Joe leaned against the narrow wall and chewed his lip as he observed the brunette. Seto sat at the kitchen table alone, already impeccably groomed and dressed despite the fact that it was just five am. The elegant hands that had pleasured the blonde just a few hours ago were now flying rapidly over the keyboard of a laptop, and the full, supple lips that had heatedly marked Joe's neck were coolly issuing orders into a cell phone. Sitting there in his full CEO glory, Kaiba Seto looked like a totally different man than the pajama clad brunette that had so wantonly moaned Joe's name the night before. The blonde watched as one of said brunette's hands reached over and wrapped itself around a coffee mug while the other continued typing, amazingly maintaining its rate and accuracy. Only when he flicked his sapphire eyes up to glance at the wall clock did Seto notice the other male; never stopping his typing or talking, he gestured for the blonde to join him. With a little sigh that Joe swore had nothing to do with anxiety or `the morning after' doubts, he pushed himself away from the wall and moved to Kaiba's side, certain that the CEO wanted nothing more than to show him what he'd been working on. Needless to say, he was shocked when, upon his drawing near, both hands stopped their activity to draw Joe down into the brunette's lap and wrap firmly around his waist.

"Not good enough," Seto continued his conversation, smirking at the light color that dusted the face of the teen in his lap. "No; I need one with more passenger capacity." Kaiba's voice hardened slightly. "Because there will be more than just my passenger and myself on the return trip." Sapphire eyes and commanding intonation turned icy. "Let me speak to your supervisor _now_." Seto's voice paused but, raising his arms and trapping Joe between them, he brought his hands back up to the keyboard where they once again took flight. "Ah, Joushi-san; Kaiba Seto." Briefly he brought his new listener up to speed. "My destination doesn't sport a landing strip, thus the need for a chopper. I'll need seating for three more passengers and the capability to transport at least two prisoners, as well." Seto paused for a moment, scanning the fleet register that he'd brought up on the monitor. "What about the MI-8? You can? Perfect. Have it ready by seven am. Oh, and Joushi," Kaiba's eyes narrowed slightly as he paused to take another sip from his mug. "Move that baka Honoka to where he's off of the phones. No, you don't have to fire him, but I don't want to have to deal with him again." With that, the brunette disconnected the call and lightly tossed the phone to the table. He then turned his attention to Joe, once again surprising the blonde by greeting him with a lingering kiss.

"Mmm…" Joe purred upon the kiss's end, "G' mornin' to you too." The husky tenor of the blonde's voice and his sleep disheveled appearance sent a shiver up Seto's spine and, lest things get revved up that were better left at rest- at least for the time being- he gently pushed the shorter male from his lap. Smirking knowingly Joe moved and meandered to the counter to pour a coffee before seating himself next to Seto at the table. "So," he peered at the brunette over the rim of his mug. "We're off at seven, eh?" Kaiba nodded and Joe's gaze turned slightly anxious. "Will that get us there on time?" Once again the CEO's hands flew over his keyboard. Once he found what he was looking for, Seto pushed the computer slightly in Joe's direction and scooted his chair closer to share the monitor with the blonde.

"Here's Domino," he pointed out, leaning in slightly closer than what was necessary, "and here's the island we're heading for: KCMB005. KaibaCorp Military Base 005," he clarified, smiling wryly at Joe. "My stepfather was nothing if not succinct. Anyhow," Seto dropped his eyes back to the monitor. "Our travel distance is precisely 1125 kilometers, which puts us at the Noah site with six and a half hours air time." Joe quirked an eyebrow as he took another drink.

"I thought th' MI-8's had a cruisin' speed of 225 kilometers per hour. Wouldn't that put the air time closer ta five?" He blushed slightly at the surprised look Seto gave him. "Jus' `cause I was raised on th' streets don't mean I spent all my time on `em," he began in a slightly defensive tone. His voice softened as a memory crept into his mind. "One of th' hookers that took care a me for a spell loved ta read. Shisho's territory was th' strip across th' street from th' Van Nest branch of th' New York Public Library… right in th' heart of th' Bronx. She'd drop me there while she took care a business an' I'd read for hours: newspapers… reference… whatever I could get my hands on. I learned a lot durin' th' short time I was with her." Joe chuckled at the closed look that appeared on Seto's face at his last statement. "From th' books, Seto," he clarified, nudging the brunette and chuckling again as a tinge of pink bridged the taller male's nose. "I was only twelve at th' time an' besides," Joe's grin took on a lecherous twist as he slid a hand up Kaiba's inner thigh. "I already knew I was gay when Shisho took me in." Seto stared at the blonde, his expression a mixture of admiration and bewilderment. That someone could endure such a life and come out of it as open and honest and kind as Joe simply amazed him. Granted, Gozaburo had been a sadistic bastard but he and Mokuba had always been fed and clothed… warm and dry. Reaching down to take the hand that was teasing his leg the brunette allowed a third emotion to mingle with the two already evident in his visage. Joe blushed again as he watched affection chase away the curiosity in Seto's sapphire eyes. Despite the heat rising in his face here turned the gaze openly, his own amber eyes speaking volumes. The moment was broken when Seto's laptop beeped, indicating that it was going into power save due to lack of activity. "So," Joe cleared his throat and removed his hand from the brunette's, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Ya never answered my question `bout th' MI-8." Seto sighed and proceeded to `wake up' his computer again.

"You're correct… for the most part." The brunette's fingers flew over the keys once again. The standard MI-8 does have a cruising speed of 225 KPH." Seto smirked lightly. "Mine, however, has had a few… modifications made to it. I might have lost 50 KPH in speed but the changes I had made makes it perfect for a mission like this." Seto clicked the built-in mouse one last time and once again leaned in toward Joe to look at the monitor with him, smiling slightly when the blonde head came to rest on his shoulder. Joe's eyes widened slightly as he looked at the picture the CEO had brought up to the screen. The transport chopper's cargo hold had been enlarged and finished off to the point to where the compartment once used for toting troops and supplies now rivalled the most luxurious of private jets. Clicking the blonde through a virtual tour, Seto pointed out the small kitchen and bar and the equally miniscule bedroom, both of which came off of a main passenger area that contained four pairs of seats, along with a work area at the front. "And not only is it fully stocked with food, etcetera, but it carries a complete range of first aid supplies as well," he finished, finally shutting down his computer. Joe waited until he was done and then snaked an arm around the brunette's neck and pulled him down for a grateful kiss.

"Thank you, Seto," he stated, once again holding the taller male's gaze. "I owe ya for this."

"Hnn… I'll hold you to that," Seto smirked, leaning down to kiss him again. His motion stopped short however, when someone cleared their throat from the archway. Both boys looked up guiltily, their faces flooding with color when they saw that the other three teens and Mokuba were eyeing them amusedly. Finally relenting at his brother's disconcerted look, Mokuba flew across the room and glomped his brother, only to pull away and start giggling.

"What's this, Ni-sama?" he asked slyly, pointing to the spot where Joe had marked him last night. He then looked at Joe, whose eyes widened almost comically. Before the blonde could react, the raven haired boy had turned Joe's head to the side, revealing an almost identical mark. "And look, Joe has one too!" Teasing grey eyes looked from one flustered teen to the other. "I knew you'd like Joe, Ni-sama," Mokuba continued, settling in Seto's lap with a serious expression that lasted about two seconds. "I just didn't think you'd like him so much so fast!" Recognizing the warning signs in the brunette's face, Mokuba jumped off of his brother's lap with a giggle. The two older boys had just about regained their composure when Yugi's voice piped up from the archway.

"See Yami; I _knew_ I heard something last night!"

*****

Joe stared out the MI-8's window, watching the tiny island approach. In a matter of minutes he and Seto would be at the site of the Noah project. It'd been hard to convince the others to stay behind despite what the note read, especially Honda and Mokuba. The two had been nearly insistent on coming; Mokuba because he had just gotten Seto back and was afraid to lose him again, and Honda because he was furious about being played by his flamboyant boss. The two had still been trying to talk their way in the chopper as the limo had pulled away from the game shop. Feeling the runners touch the ground, Joe pushed all thoughts of Domino aside to focus on the reason why he was at KCMB005: to save the man that- in Joe's opinion- had saved him. Impatiently he waited for Seto to open the door before stepping out, clasping his hat to his head lest the breeze from the chopper's large rotor blow it away. The blonde waited until they had moved away from the wind and the noise before speaking.

"So, where do we go from here?" Seto paused before turning to the blonde to respond.

"Joe, I need to tell you something," he began, looking off as if searching for something in the distance. "I… probably should have mentioned this earlier, but I didn't want to upset Mokuba. And then later…" He flicked his gaze over to Joe, a blush pinking his cheeks again. "Well, I was distracted." Squaring his shoulders the brunette finally met Joe's eyes, only to be taken by surprise by their knowing light.

"You're gonna tell me that ya didn't destroy th' program, ain't ya?" the blonde demanded softly. Seto paled and gaped at Joe, who smiled faintly. "I kinda figured that. When Mokuba told us th' story I knew it didn't quite pan out. Why would a genius like yourself torch a buildin' to destroy somethin' without waitin' ta see if it was successful?" He turned to face the brunette. "An' it just wouldn't have made good business sense for ya ta totally ditch the technology. Best I figured it, there musta been a mainframe somewhere on th' island that th' program was saved to. An' since you've not been back to get it, I'm bettin' it's underground." Seto looked at Joe in amazement, only to drop his gaze when the blonde pressed forward. "But what I _can't_ understand is why ya' left it unattended so long. Why not research th' problem? An' if you weren't gonna, then why leave it where any one of th' so-called `Big Five' could get their hands on it by pullin' a stunt like this?" When the brunette replied his voice was so low that Joe had to step forward to catch the words.

"I… was going to come back… to destroy it completely," he muttered, kicking at a bit of gravel at the side of the path they'd been moving down. "But the nightmares…" Seto blushed at admitting such a weakness to the blonde. "Every time I thought about retrieving the program I thought about Noah… the desperation in his eyes… the pleading voice…" The brunette began to tremble slightly as his eyes took on a slightly haunted look. "And then when Noah… when he…" Joe reached out and gently took Seto's hand.

"'s okay, Seto," he placated, stepping forward and resting his head on the taller boy's shoulder. "Seein' that woulda terrified anybody let alone…" The blonde was somewhat surprised when Seto pushed him away.

"You don't understand," Seto began, his voice almost desperate. "That was supposed to be me!" Joe gaped at the brunette, his face paling at the thought. "It's true," Kaiba insisted. "Gozaburo had asked me to help him trial the program," he continued unsteadily. "I was _so_ excited; he never wanted me to help with _anything_ , because I was `too soft' or `not smart enough'. I'd been all set to go too, but Mokie got sick and I refused to leave him. Gozaburo… he punished me." Seto shuddered at the memory of the beating his stubbornness had earned him that time. "The bastard… called me useless and weak…started going on about how my stupidity would cost him millions." The haunted look in Seto's eyes vanished, leaving them dull and lifeless. "I hated it when he did that," his voice was just above a whisper. "I wanted to prove to him that I wasn't useless… I told him about another boy... one I remembered from the orphanage; one that loved games almost as much as I did…" empty eyes turned toward Joe, their blank expression sending a shiver down his spine. "I killed him," he intoned. "It's my fault. I killed him." Joe swallowed around the lump in his throat and gently raised a hand to caress Seto's face.

"Seto, come back ta' me," he said, his voice as gentle as his hand. "It's not yer fault. You didn't know." Bringing his other hand up and placing one on either cheek he leaned up and kissed the brunette, mentally sighing in relief when he felt Seto's arms come around him as he deepened the kiss. When the brunette finally pulled away, Joe was not surprised to find moisture on his face. Dropping his gaze, the blonde let the proud man regain his composure before tentatively speaking again. "You gonna be okay with this?" Seto nodded. Taking a close look at the brunette Joe noticed the light coming back into his eyes and the color returning to his face. "Which way do we go then?" Grabbing Joe's hand the brunette began to walk down the path again, veering to the right when the trail forked. Almost immediately the burnt remains of the warehouse came into view and, along with it, a sight that made both men growl: Otogi and Otaki stood, waiting for them. Joe could see the smirk on Otogi's face as he approached. Moments later the blonde smirked himself as the raven-haired man's grin faded to a scowl upon noticing Joe and Seto's joined hands.

"Well," Otogi said snippily as they approached, "It seems my pet has a pet of his own, ne?" Seto growled and moved to step forward but Joe beat him to it.

"Listen, ya flamboyant freak," he began heatedly, taking another step toward the slightly shorter man, "Ya leave Seto alone and take me ta Art or…" Otogi held out a silencing hand and, smirking, reached his free one into a pocket of his vest and pulled out a small remote control device.

"Ah, ah Gorgeous," he drawled, his smirk widening as he caught the look of disgust on Joe's face. "No threats now. Believe me; you _really_ don't want me to use this…" Huffing impatiently and rolling his eyes, Otaki grabbed the remote from his grandson.

"Kami, Otogi… can we get this moving already?" the older man growled, impatiently forging his way past the youths and into the burnt out structure. Following his grandfather's example Otogi became all business, gesturing for Seto to follow whilst he and Joe fell into line behind him. About half way through the rubble filled shell Kaiba stopped, nearly causing the blonde to crash into him. Noticing the sudden tenseness in the taller man's shoulders, Joe looked around, paling when he saw the charred remains of a human lying on top of a pile of glass. Instantly the blonde wrapped his arms around the waist in front of him, propping his chin on Seto's shoulder.

"'s okay, Seto," he whispered. "Jus' keep movin'. `s not… What th' fuck!" The blonde cursed loudly as he was suddenly pulled away from the brunette. Amber eyes glared fiercely into equally angry emerald ones.

"Hands off my pet, Wheeler," Otogi spat, appearing very much like the cat-like demon he had been named after. With an agility born from the streets Joe wrenched himself out of the other man's grasp by turning slightly. Continuing into the turn he picked up momentum and, as he faced Otogi again, landed a solid right hook to his captor's jaw. Joe's left hand moved just as quickly, grabbing the other by his vest to prevent him from falling to the ground from the force of the punch.

"Get this straight right now," the blonde hissed, bringing Otogi's stunned face within inches of his own, "He ain't yer fuckin' pet. He ain't nobody's pet. Pets are guys like you: pampered, spoiled, _weak_ men whose only function is ta cling ta their master's arm an' do as they're told. Seto ain't none of that. He's his own man. Pet…" Joe scoffed, finally releasing Otogi and smirking as he stumbled over his own feet. "Men like Seto _steamroll_ over guys like you." Turning away from the raven-haired teen, Joe found his gaze met and held by a pair of intense blue eyes. "Sorry `bout that," the blonde apologized sheepishly. "I jus' couldn't handle him debasin' ya like that any more." Much to Joe's surprise and Otogi's disgust Seto leaned down and brushed his lips gently against the blonde's.

"Remind me to thank you more appropriately later." The brunette's words were teasing but his eyes were anything but. Joe blushed under the intensity of the stare and opened his mouth to reply, only to have his head jerked back roughly as a hand painfully grabbed his hair. The next thing he knew, a knife was being pressed to his throat and his shocked amber eyes were staring into a contemptuous pair of hazel ones.

"H… Honda!" he gasped out, barely able to speak due to the strain on his throat.

"That's right," the stocky brunette affirmed, tightening his hand in Joe's hair with a sardonic chuckle. "Stay where you are, Kaiba," the newcomer spat, pressing the knife tighter against Joe's throat. "Or your new toy will become irreparably damaged." Seto growled but stayed put, nervously eyeing the trickle of blood that had begun to ooze down the blonde's throat from beneath the blade. "How'm I doing, `togi?" Honda called, his voice as fawning now as it had been menacing seconds ago. After a moment, the raven- haired man responded with a throaty chuckle.

"Good," he purred, stepping closer to Honda and running a hand down his muscled arm. "Quite good." Otogi paused his hand on the shorter male's bicep, and squeezed the muscle lightly. "Now ease up on him a bit and let's get moving. Ojii-san's getting anxious." Releasing his grip on Joe's hair but leaving the blade at his throat, Honda nudged him forward. Silently the group finished their trek, pausing at a spot that had been cleared from debris. Once there, Otaki glared at Kaiba, pointing down at a square shaped outline barely visible through the dust and the ash. Kaiba raised a brow and stared back at the man coolly, refusing to comply with his silent demand. Huffing impatiently, Otogi moved from behind Honda and reached down, flinging the trap door open. Grabbing hold of Kaiba, Otaki practically threw him down the steep set of stairs that had lain hidden. The man followed his former employer whilst Otogi and Honda escorted Joe into the hidden chamber. As soon as the group entered the fairly large room that housed the mainframe the blonde looked around, his eyes immediately spotting the man he'd been looking for.

"Art!" The professor's head jerked up from its defeated slump at the raspy sounding voice.

"Joseph!" he cried out anxiously, his face paling at the sight of the knife and the blood. The older man struggled to get to his feet, only to be pulled back by the belt that held him to the chair. Joe's eyes widened in realization as he took in the contraption his friend was strapped to. Otogi, stepping in front of the blonde, smirked at his panicked expression.

"So I see you've figured it out, ne?" Joe cringed as the dark haired teen ran a finger down his cheek. "Hnn… I guess there's a brain inside that pretty head after all. But don't worry," Otogi continued, his teasing expression becoming sadistic. "The old man was only a ruse should you refuse to accompany us this far. That's what the remote control was for. But now…" he trailed off and watched as Otaki un-strapped the man and roughly removed him from the chair, forcibly shoving him toward the corner where Yugi's grandfather sat, bound and gagged. The former executive then turned to the CEO. Kaiba's face immediately paled as Otaki grinned viciously and began to force him toward the now empty seat. "No!" Otogi shouted, glaring at his grandfather. "There's been a change of plans." Once again placing a hand on Honda's arm, the raven-haired teen jerked the restraining appendage away from the blonde, deepening the cut on Joe's throat in the process. He then gestured toward Honda, who grabbed his prisoner and threw him toward the chair. "Mister Hero here will be doing the testing today," Otogi explained, bringing a hand up to nurse his injured jaw. "But don't worry, Ojii-san," he continued as the man began to protest. "You'll get your revenge on Seto-kun soon enough." Emerald eyes glinted mockingly at the tall brunette. "After all, _someone_ has to send Wheeler into the game. If he doesn't make it out, then Kaiba's guilty of murder. If the gorgeous one _does_ survive, well… arson's not as severe a crime as murder but… you get the picture. What a shame, Seto-kun," Otogi's voice dropped seductively but his eyes remained as hard as stone. "If you would have played nicely you could have remained out of prison and been _my_ bitch, but instead…"

He trailed off meaningfully and called over his shoulder to Honda. "Is he ready?" Honda tightened one last strap and then replied with an affirmative. Otogi then turned back to Seto, his eyes glinting with malice. "Do it." Seto shook his head. "No," he said, his face pale but his voice steady. Hissing impatiently Otogi strode over to Honda and grabbed the knife from his hand. He then stepped back to the brunette, pressing it to his throat whilst Otaki restrained Seto's arms. "Go ahead," Kaiba's voice and eyes mocked his captor. "You might as well, because I won't do it. Never. I'm not going to be responsible for another death caused by this program. If you want to send Joe to die, then you'll have to do it yourself." Seto's eyes remained steady even as he felt the knife bite into his throat. The blood had just begun to seep down his neck when Honda spoke up from Joe's side.

"'togi, stop; there's another way." Otogi slid his gaze from Seto to the other brunette.

"Well," he hissed impatiently, "Don't just stand there grinning; what is it?" Honda's grin widened as he reached into his pocket and retrieved a small hand-held radio. He then paused long enough to depress the call button before responding to his boss.

"Insurance," he stated simply, turning his hazel eyes toward the stairwell. Suddenly footsteps reached the group's ears, along with the sound of a struggle. Joe and Kaiba paled as the frightened cries reached their ears and, when a large man appeared on the stairs, their worst fears were confirmed. Slung over his shoulder and looking even worse than he did when Joe had found him was Mokuba.

"Ni-sama," he cried out, turning his dirt and tear streaked face to his brother, "Help me!"


	7. Chapter 7

"You fuckin' sleezeball!"

"Let him go!" Joe and Seto shouted simultaneously, Joe's comment directed toward Honda and Seto's directed toward the man carrying his brother. Otogi merely laughed.

"Well, well, Honda…" the raven-haired teen drawled, "You certainly are full of surprises today." He gave the stocky brunette a sensual gaze that Honda seemed to eat right up. "Remind me to thank you later." Otogi turned his attention back to Seto, removing the knife from his throat and tossing it to the floor. "It seems as if this is no longer necessary, as I now hold all of the cards." Otogi grinned over Seto's shoulder at his grandfather. "See, Ojii-san; I told you it would all work out." The raven-haired teen's eyes narrowed when he brought his gaze back to Seto. "I've waited for this for _years/ _…" he hissed in satisfaction. ”Every time my grandfather came close to ousting you from KaibaCorp, you eked by. Framing you for Gozaburo's death… they found you innocent. Convincing Mokuba you hated him so that Ojii-san could gain his trust and then his stock… backfired. Enlisting the help of the other board members in an assassination attempt… failed. But now…" Otogi's eyes held an almost maniacal glaze. "Now, with one push of a button, I will _finally_ take my place as rightful CEO of KaibaCorp. That's right, Seto-kun," Otogi purred sardonically upon seeing the look of disbelief on the brunette's face. " _I_ was supposed to take over. The CEO chair was _mine_. Ojii-san had it all planned perfectly. He spent years cultivating Gozaburo's friendship and trust… bringing me to visit… planting the idea in his head. All of our efforts… all the weekends and summer months spent fawning and doting and kissing Gozaburo's ass finally paid off when the old man agreed to write me into his will, giving me control of his holdings once he died." Otogi's face twisted into an ugly scowl. "But then things went wrong. That hack attorney of his talked him out of it. He told Gozaburo that he'd be better off adopting some unwanted _bastard_ and giving the trash his name… that there'd be less contention over the will if his heir was a `Kaiba'. But none of that matters now," he concluded, his features relaxing into their normal state. "Honda, pick up the knife and take the brat." Without hesitation the stocky brunette followed orders. Stooping to pick up the knife, he grabbed Mokuba when the man released him and twined a hand in the ebony locks, pulling his head back. "The choice is yours Kaiba," Otogi spat, all pretence of flirting gone. "Send your new toy into the game or watch your brother bleed to death. Pick one now; it makes no difference to me." Seto stared desperately at Joe, his sapphire eyes once again haunted.__

__"'s okay, Seto," Joe stated quietly, lending the brunette strength through his eyes. "Despite what th' bastard says you _don't_ got a choice. Jus' do it."_ _

__"Joe, I…" The normally fluent CEO choked on his words and fell silent, letting his eyes speak as Joe's had._ _

__"No worries." Joe attempted a grin and failed miserably. "'sides, if _anyone_ can get me out once I'm in there, it's you. Now go on," he concluded, locking gazes with the brunette. "Do what ya gotta do." Giving Joe one last desperate glance Seto reached out for the button, only to jerk away with a start as the underground room filled with a host of familiar, dark-suited men. Within seconds Mokuba was in his arms and Otogi and Otaki were in custody._ _

__"Hey, Otogi," Honda taunted, casually flipping the knife in the air before closing and pocketing it. "Guess I really _am_ full of surprises today, ne? Guess maybe my brains at least _equal_ my brawn anyway." Sparing his former employer one last contemptuous glance, the stocky brunette moved over to Joe. "Hey," he greeted the blonde, immediately starting to loosen the bonds._ _

__"'Hey'?" Joe repeated incredulously, staring at Honda as if he'd sprung a second head. "'Hey'? You fuckin' come outta nowhere, pull a fuckin' knife on me, gash my throat, strap me to a fuckin' death machine… an' all ya can say is `hey'?" Honda's mouth twitched at the corners as he concentrated on a particularly stubborn strap._ _

__"Pretty much," he replied calmly, loosening the final belt and extending a hand toward the blonde. Joe slapped the proffered assistance away, choosing instead to launch himself out of the chair and at Honda, enveloping him in a hug._ _

__"I don' know whether ta kiss ya or kill ya right now," he laughed, wincing as the cut on his throat chafed against the wool of Honda's jacket. Honda laughed in return and gently pushed the blonde away from him._ _

__"Either way I'd be dead, judging from the daggers Kaiba's shooting in this direction," he replied, laughing again as Joe's face pinked._ _

__"Bastard," Joe retorted, clapping his hands down on Honda's shoulders and grinning at him fondly. "Thanks, bud. Ya really came through… even had `me' fooled. What?" he asked curiously as the brunette began to laugh again._ _

__"Next time you use a varsity jacket to try and `get to know' someone, consider checking out what types of medals hang from the letter, not just how ~many~," Honda teased, singling one out from the others. Joe leaned in to look at the tiny printing._ _

__"You _ain't_ serious…" he drawled, dropping the medal that read `second year Drama club' back against the felt of the letter and quirking an eyebrow at the brunette. "You sure your folks don't know yer gay?" Not giving Honda time to respond, he grabbed him by the arm and dragged him over to where Seto was still fussing over Mokuba. "An as for you…" Joe began, mock glaring at Honda's accomplice. "What th'… those are the same clothes ya trashed yesterday! How in th' hell did I miss that?" The blonde released Honda and dropped his head into his hands. "Christ," he muttered woefully, "I'm losin' my touch. Firs' I let th' stage prancin' jock get th' drop on me and then this? That's it… I'm hangin' up my whip an' callin' it quits."_ _

__"Good," a voice purred into his ear, shocking the blonde yet again. Joe looked up to glare into Seto's gently mocking sapphire eyes. "Then I'll _know_ there'll be no more running." The last words were spoken against Joe's mouth and, sighing, the shorter male gave himself up to the kiss. The gentle embrace was broken when the sound of someone clearing their throat from the corner reached their ears._ _

__"Ah shit," Jou gasped, moving away and glancing apologetically at Seto, "Art!" He turned to make his way to the man, only to find him standing next to Sugoroku, an amused smile on his face. With an exaggerated sigh the professor turned to his old friend._ _

__"Youth these days," he grumbled loudly enough for everyone to hear. "You take a boy off the streets and into the comfort of your home and for what? I mean sure, he _did_ come to rescue me but, once the kidnappers were captured, did he bother to see if I was alright? No… he'd rather suck face with his boyfriend." Joe gaped and stared at his `friend', stunned by what had come out of his mouth. Soon the entire room was roaring with laughter save for the blonde, who still couldn't get over Art's `modern euphemism'. Feeling Seto shake with mirth beside him, Joe tore his gaze away from the professor to glare playfully at the brunette._ _

__"Keep it up, Seto," he growled, low enough for only the other to hear, "an I'll show ya what else my whip can be used for." Much to Joe's surprise Seto only laughed harder._ _

__"Promises, `Joseph'," he replied, silencing the blonde's sputtering protest with his lips. "Mere promises."_ _

__*****_ _

__Night had started to fall and the tiny island was once again deserted, save for the small group of people gathered in the underground room. The troop of guards that had accompanied Honda and Mokuba had left, taking Otogi and Otaki back to Domino for detainment. Seto had tried to convince Mokuba to go with them but the boy, every bit as stubborn as his brother, had refused- determined to see the final destruction of the Noah Project and, hopefully, the end of his and Seto's nightmares. Joe had asked that Art and Sugoroku leave too but they had refused as well, contenting themselves with resting and waiting on the MI-8. The two shorter teens and Mokuba stood back, watching silently as Seto's fingers flew over the keyboard._ _

__"There," he whispered, stepping back and staring at the mainframe. "Just one key stroke left and he'll… it'll be gone." Joe stepped forward and twined his arm around the brunette's waist._ _

__"You're doin' th' right thing, Seto," he assured, tightening his grasp as he saw the haunted look threaten again. "If ya do this, it's over an' you an' Noah can _both_ rest in peace, knowin' for sure that nobody will ever be put through what he was. If ya do this, his dyin' won't have been for nothin', ya know?" Seto blinked as if coming out of a trance and smiled down at the blonde._ _

__"Thank you," he said softly before reaching out his hand and pressing the final key needed to crash the program. The four males looked up as the large monitor flashed a brilliant warning red before fading completely to black and plunging the underground room into darkness. "Let's go," Seto's voice, once again firm and commanding, cut through the gloom. Carefully the group made their way up the stairs, Seto bringing up the rear. Pausing at the head of the stairs, the brunette glanced over his shoulder at the three retreating figures before turning back to stare into the darkness at his feet. There was one thing left to do. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a brittle plastic vial and crouched down, nearly closing the trap door. "Rest in Peace, Noah," he whispered, tossing the container filled with hydrofluoric acid as hard as he could down the stairs before letting the door fall shut and rising to his feet. Without a backward glance he moved quickly to join his friends knowing that, immediately upon shattering, the acid would turn to a hazardous cloud, completely destroying the computer and any hidden backup files Gozaburo might have created. The brunette's leggy stride caught him up to the group just as they left the building and the next thing he knew, both of his hands had been grasped; one by Joe's slender, calloused hand and the other by Mokuba's small, soft one. Though the hands were completely different, their gentle message of support and affection was the same. Sighing contentedly, Seto intertwined his fingers into those of the blonde and his brother, not letting go until they climbed into the chopper and buckled into their seats._ _

__The return trip was uneventful and, before the group knew it, the MI-8 had landed in Domino where two limos awaited. Safe in the knowledge that Otogi and Otaki were locked away, Seto decided to return home to the comfort of his own bed. The older Kaiba had been both perplexed and amused upon finding out that not only had Mokuba commanded the entire fleet of body guards to the island and pulled off a brilliant rescue, he had also contacted the staff and had them return to the mansion so that it would be ready for their return. After a successful day's work, the Vice CEO of KaibaCorp was now asleep, being carried to the limo by his brother- who was infinitely glad that the raven-haired boy hadn't grown up so much as to prevent him from doing so. Silently the group parted ways, Seto and Joe having to settle for a quick squeeze of hands due to the brunette's sleeping cargo. The lingering gaze that had accompanied the grasp left Seto warm until, after gently placing Mokuba onto a seat, he rounded the limo and opened his door, catching the tail end of a conversation as he climbed in._ _

__"… back to New York?" he heard Yugi's grandfather ask the professor._ _

__"The day after tomorrow," Hawkins replied, clasping a hand on Joe's shoulder. "Right, m'boy?" Before Seto could try and lip-read the blonde's answer, the car pulled away, leaving both Joe and the warmth he had brought to the icy CEO back in the darkness._ _

__*****_ _

__"The day after tomorrow, eh?" Sugoroku repeated thoughtfully, stroking his chin as he watched Kaiba's limo pull away. Suddenly he clapped his hands together, the sound echoing through the darkness. "Perfect," he crowed. "We'll have a going away party for you and Joe at the shop tomorrow night." The robust little man looked at his guests expectantly, smiling when Joe laughingly clapped a hand on his shoulder._ _

__"But I'm not leavin' Mutou-san… or did ya forget that already?" He looked at the Professor and winked. "Guess he don't want me ta stay. Looks like yer stuck with me after all, Art." The slender old man sighed in mock frustration._ _

__"Well, I guess if I have to take you then I have to take you," he grumbled, the gruffness of his voice belied by the affection in his eyes._ _

__"Wh… wait… I just…" Sugoroku sputtered in embarrassment, continuing with his attempted apology until he caught the amused expressions on the faces of the two taller males. "Oh, so funny," he pouted, the expression making him look very much like his grandson. "Give an old man a break will you? Of course you're welcome to stay, Joe," he continued, looking up at the blonde. Joe looked at the older man, his warm grin faltering at the mischievous twinkle in his violet eyes. "Do you really think I want to have to tell Kaiba Seto that he'll have to find someone else to suck face with?" The night filled with peals of laughter as Sugoroku and Art watched Joe drop his head against the limo with a `thunk'._ _

__"I swear," he muttered, his face burning in embarrassment, "The two of yous make me wanna give up kissin' for good." Suddenly his eyes took on a mischievous light of his own. "It's a damn good thing Seto's skill more than makes up for your teasin'," he purred, licking his lips as if savouring the memory of the brunette's taste. Chuckling lightly at his suddenly very disconcerted tormentors, he rounded the limo and climbed inside._ _

__*****_ _

__Joe stood by the window with Yugi and Honda, pretending to listen to their conversation. Every once in a while he'd nod and smile but, most of the time, he just stood there, staring almost forlornly at the door. The party- which was really nothing more than a small gathering of Yugi and Sugorokou’s friends- had been going for over an hour and the Kaiba brothers had yet to show. As a matter of fact, Joe hadn't heard from Seto all day. It hadn't really bothered him; in all actuality he'd been expecting it, given the CEO's extended absence from work. But now… Suddenly Joe saw the door open out of the corner of his eye. Turning his full attention to the entry way, he felt his heart flutter in anticipation as Mokuba walked into the room. Unable to keep the grin off his face, he waited for the tall, well-built brunette to appear. And waited… And waited… Finally growing frustrated, he excused himself from the other two teens and made his way to where Mokuba stood talking with a slender, white-haired boy._ _

__"Hey, Kiddo," he greeted once the other moved away, ruffling the boy's soft hair with a grin. "Glad ya could make it."_ _

__"Hi, Joe," he greeted in return, looking up at the blonde with a somber expression in his blue- grey eyes._ _

__"What is it, Mokie?" he asked, crouching down and looking at him with concern._ _

__"Oh, Joe," he cried, flinging himself at the blonde, "Why do you have to go?" Joe gave the boy a bewildered look._ _

__"Mokuba, what…" the distraught boy continued as if he hadn't heard._ _

__"It's just that I don't want you to go and Seto he's _so_ upset; I mean he didn't _say/ _it was `cause you were leaving…"___ _

____"Mokuba," Joe tried to interrupt._ _ _ _

____"… but I heard him muttering before he left for work today about knowing you were too good to be true and what's a shit hole like New York got that Domino doesn't…"_ _ _ _

____"Mokuba, I…"_ _ _ _

____"…and then he came home early and he never comes home early and he's locked himself in his room and he wouldn't come to the party and oh Joe _please_ say you'll…_ _ _ _

____"MOKUBA!!!"_ _ _ _

____"…stay." The boy's voice squeaked with his last word, startled by Joe's interruption. "I'm sorry, Joe," he whispered, "It's just that…" Mokuba's eyes widened as a gentle hand covered his mouth._ _ _ _

____"Let's not get inta that again, eh?" the blonde chuckled, waiting until the younger boy nodded his head in agreement before removing his hand. "Now _slowly_ … what's this all about?" Mokuba took a deep breath and began again, pausing when Joe held up a hand at the mention of his returning to New York. "I ain't goin' back ta New York, Kiddo," he stated, giving the youth a slightly puzzled glance. "You know that. That's why Art brought me ta Domino in th' first place, remember? Ta leave me with Mutou-san… guys my own age… any of this ringin' any bells?" His expression softened when he saw the young boy's face pale. "'s okay, Mokie," he soothed, pulling the boy back into his arms. "A lot's happened since that night." Joe pushed the boy back slightly and grinned at him teasingly again. "I'm surprised _I_ remembered, ya know?" Mokuba smiled but his eyes remained anxious._ _ _ _

____"But what about Seto?" he asked, his young voice laden with concern._ _ _ _

____"No worries," Joe replied with a wink, rising from his crouch and ruffling the boy's hair once again. "You stay here an' have fun. I'll take care a your brother." Despite his distress, Mokuba couldn't help but giggle._ _ _ _

____"I'm sure you will," he replied cheekily, giggling again as a blush coloured Joe's face._ _ _ _

____"That's enough outta you," the blonde mock growled, pulling the smaller youth into a playful head-lock. Gently noogie-ing his head he released the boy, only to have Mokuba grab him in another hug._ _ _ _

____"Thank you, Joe." Giving the blonde a happy grin, he ran off toward the refreshments. Joe watched the raven haired boy fondly for a moment before turning and heading down the stairs, a determined expression replacing the affectionate one in his eyes._ _ _ _

____*****_ _ _ _

____Seto lay in his bed, glaring at nothing. He _knew_ he was pouting like a crush crazy school girl but, at that precise moment, he didn't give a damn. Joe was leaving. The blonde had appeared out of nowhere and, for the first time in his life, Seto had within his reach someone whose fiery temperament and strength of character complimented his own… someone who could match him in wit, intellect, and passion… someone who filled his heart and melted his ice like no other. But just as suddenly as Joe had appeared he was gone… or he would be in just a few hours. Seto scowled at the ceiling. Mokuba had begged him to go to the party but Seto had obstinately refused, secluding himself in his room as if _he_ were the younger between them. Finally the boy had ceased his pestering and left him alone to sulk._ _ _ _

____"It's not fair," he mumbled, inwardly disgusted at himself for his behaviour, yet unwilling to do anything about it. Rolling over noisily, the brunette missed the imperceptible sound of his balcony door being opened. "He lied to me. He said he wouldn't run, but he lied." The next thing Seto knew, he was pinned to the bed as a heavy weight settled on his legs just below his ass._ _ _ _

____"Let's get one thing straight, right here an' right now," a voice whispered into his ear. "I never, _never_ lie." Seto shivered as the heat of Joe's breath caressed his neck and ear. "I missed ya at th' party," the blonde continued, sitting back up and languidly running his hands over the thin material of Seto's dress shirt. "Ya didn't come ta say good bye."_ _ _ _

____"I couldn't," Seto responded, his normally strong voice muffled by the pillows. Pushing himself up on his arms he flipped over to look at the blonde, his eyes darkening slightly at their suggestive position. "I didn't want to say good bye. I don't want you to go." Joe chuckled lightly and leaned forward, increasing the intimacy of their situation._ _ _ _

____"I ain't goin' back ta New York, Seto," the blonde said huskily, rapidly becoming aroused by the proximity of their bodies. "I never was." Seto gasped as Joe lay fully on him, slightly nudging the brunette's legs apart and settling his own in between them. Using his arms as leverage the shorter male pulled himself up Seto's body, bringing their faces level and brushing their groins together teasingly._ _ _ _

____"But at the airport," Kaiba said breathlessly, shivering again as Joe lowered his head and began to nip along his shoulder. "I heard Hawkins say that…"_ _ _ _

____"Art is goin' back ta th' States," Joe mumbled against Seto's neck, nipping one last time before pulling away to look at the brunette. "But I'm stayin' here in Domino. That was th' plan all along… even _before_ I met you." As succinctly as possible he told the brunette about the professor's plan, pausing frequently to punctuate his words with kisses and nips and tantalizing rubbing. "So ya see," Joe concluded, purring in the back of his throat as he felt Seto's straining cock rub against his own through the material of their pants, "I ain't goin' nowhere." Lazily removing himself from the taller teen, he gently palmed the bulge in the other's pants before sliding completely off of the bed and sauntering back toward the balcony doors. It took Seto's lust hazed mind a moment to comprehend what was happening but, once he did, he sat up like a shot._ _ _ _

____"Wh…Joe, where are you going?" he sputtered._ _ _ _

____"Back to th' party," the blonde replied coolly, without turning around. Seto gaped at the retreating teen._ _ _ _

____"But…Joe, wait!" The desperation in the brunette's voice brought a smile to Joe's face. Quickly schooling his features into a nonchalant expression he stopped and turned just inside the doors._ _ _ _

____"What is it, Seto?" he asked evenly, placing a hand on the doorknob. The continued indifference from the blonde caused Kaiba to lose the composure he was trying so desperately to maintain._ _ _ _

____"Damn it, Joe," he nearly yelled, the frustration evident in his voice as he gestured toward his groin with a nod. "You can't just walk away and leave me like this!" Cool amber eyes met fiery sapphire ones._ _ _ _

____"Ya shouldn't a thought I was lyin'." With that Joe slipped out of the door and into the darkness. Once again Seto gaped disbelievingly at the spot where the blonde had just stood._ _ _ _

____"Fuck," he groaned, dropping back onto the bed when his intense stare failed to rematerialize the other man. "I _so_ cannot believe this. Damn it!" Continuing his line of cursing the brunette sat back up and eased himself off the bed with a hiss. " `Back to the party'," he mimicked as he hobbled across the floor toward his bathroom. "I have half a mind to go to that shop and take his ass in front of everyone there for leaving me like this." Seto had just about reached his goal when his motion and mumbling were halted abruptly by a sharp sting at the small of his back, followed by a tightening sensation just above his narrow hips. "What the…"_ _ _ _

____Glancing down at his waist, he noticed the coils of leather that had been expertly lashed around him. Seto felt his heart rate increase as his eyes followed the supple length of braided rawhide, finally rising to stare at its wielder, whose amber eyes burned with desire and need. The brunette watched as Joe flicked his wrist slightly and tugged on the whip, issuing a silent order for Seto to draw near. Finally over his shock, the brunette remained where he stood, ignoring the command and smirking slightly as the blonde's eyes lidded at his refusal to comply. Growling lowly, Joe let the whip handle drop and strode over to the taller male. Seto's breath hitched as he saw the predatory look in the other teen's eyes. Soon, but not soon enough, Joe was on him, burying his hands in the brunette's chestnut locks and claiming his lips in a searing kiss. The blonde's mouth was relentless; lips, teeth, and tongue thoroughly punished Seto for his defiance as Joe ruthlessly plundered his mouth. The brunette moaned as the other male nipped sharply at his tongue before sucking it into his mouth in an invitation to explore. Hungrily Seto complied, plunging his tongue into the heat that was Joe's mouth and ravaging him thoroughly before breaking away with a gasp. Instantly the blonde's mouth found purchase on his neck and slowly teased its way to his ear._ _ _ _

____"So, Seto," Joe whispered huskily, speaking for the first time since re-entering the room, "What's it gonna be?" The brunette shuddered as the shorter man delved his tongue into his ear. "You gonna fuck my mouth or bury that cock in my ass?" Seto groaned lowly, recalling their prior `conversation'. Tangling a hand in Joe's hair, he forced the blonde away from his neck and into a bruising kiss._ _ _ _

____"Get undressed and get on the bed," the brunette rasped, his breath coming in pants as he watched Joe comply. Hungry blue eyes devoured the blonde as Seto saw him fully naked for the first time. The perfect body stretched out on his bed drove Kaiba's need to an unimaginable height. Rapidly stripping himself of his clothes he moved to join the other, growling when the blonde raised a hand to stop him._ _ _ _

____"Easy there, Lover," Joe purred, tracing a hand down his chest to his groin. Wrapping said hand around his cock, Joe began stroking himself into fullness as he pointed toward his discarded jacket with his free hand. "Get in th' inside pocket," he instructed, groaning as he ran his thumb across his slit. "Trus' me, Seto," he panted, his eyes gleaming with promise, "You'll be glad ya did." Reluctantly Seto tore his eyes away from the masturbating blonde and strode over to the coat, bending over to fish in the pocket. Two simultaneous groans filled the room; Seto's upon finding the leather cock ring and bottle of lube in Joe's jacket and Joe's upon seeing Seto's ass in all its glory._ _ _ _

____"Fuck, Seto," he growled, wincing slightly as he pinched his cock firmly below the head. "Ya keep teasin' me like that and I ain't gonna need that ring… it'll be too late." The sensual sound of the brunette's husky chuckle did little to alleviate Joe's problem. Slowly Kaiba moved forward, purposely swaying his hips and causing his cock to bounce teasingly as he walked. "You are _so_ not helpin'," Joe grumbled, closing his eyes against the tantalizing picture Seto made. The next thing the blonde knew, cool fingers were caressing his sac. Moaning lowly, Joe opened his eyes in time to watch Seto slide the leather strap behind his balls. Bringing both ends over Joe's shaft he then cinched the strap to the third snap, fastening the ring into place. The blonde closed his eyes and breathed deeply, waiting a moment before releasing his constricting pinch. Seto gently stroked along the boy's inner thigh, waiting for him to be ready. Suddenly Joe purred, opening his eyes half way to stare heatedly at his lover. "I'm ready for ya, Seto," he husked, parting his legs and wantonly exposing himself to the brunette. _ _ _ _

____The taller man moaned at the sight and, dropping the lube on the bed, brought his head down to the blonde's parted thighs. Joe cried out in surprise when Seto's tongue laved his restrained balls before skating along his taint to his hole. Re-moistening his tongue, the brunette stiffened the muscle and traced it around Joe's entrance before bringing it to the center and working it inside. Both men were moaning now, Joe at the sensation of Seto's tongue expertly rimming him and Seto at the taste and smell of the man he was pleasuring. Unable to keep himself away from that heat the brunette removed his mouth and, without warning, plunged his cock into the blonde. Joe cried out in ecstasy, the intensity of the pain merely serving to fuel his pleasure. Giving his lover mere moments to adjust, Seto began moving. Knowing that Joe would have his turn later, Kaiba concentrated on his own pleasure, repeatedly bringing himself to the brink only to slow down again. Finally unable to hold back any longer, Seto slid his hands to Joe's hips, angling them slightly and thrusting his cock in balls deep. The raspy cry the blonde gave as his prostate was assaulted brought Seto to his peak and, with a feral cry he released into his lover, filling him with his seed. Trembling from the force of his orgasm, the brunette slid himself out of the blonde's passage and dropped to the bed next to Joe._ _ _ _

____Before he could catch his breath Joe was on him, running his fingers along Seto's come slicked shaft. Using the substance as lube, he brought his hand down between his lover's legs, rapidly plunging a finger in as he bit down on Seto's nipple. Seto cried out weakly at the double assault, still coming down from his climax. Using the brunette's existing euphoria to his advantage, Joe slid in a second finger, scissoring them quickly to widen the passage as he brought his free hand down to release his cock from the ring. Biting his lip against the sensation of his shaft being freed, Joe slid a third finger in, reaching deeply and hitting Seto's prostate. The sound of the brunette screaming his name nearly did Joe in and, removing his fingers he quickly entered his lover, reveling in the other teen's tightness and heat. Knowing it wouldn't take long he began to move, his thrusts nearly animalistic in their intensity. Bringing Seto's leg up slightly Joe angled in deeper, growling in appreciation as he heard that cry again. Unexpectedly Seto's passage clenched and, looking down, Joe watched as the brunette's cock spasmed with its second release. The erotic sight of Seto's come spilling onto his groin combined with the tight heat surrounding his shaft sent Joe over the edge as he roared his lover's name. Unable to hold himself up any longer, he collapsed onto the taller teen, sighing contentedly as a hand came up to gently play with his hair._ _ _ _

____"Damn," Joe murmured into Seto's chest once he was able to speak. "That was…"_ _ _ _

____"Unbelievable," Seto finished for him softly. Gently he rolled himself and the blonde onto their side, wincing slightly as Joe's flaccid member slid out of him. "So," he continued hesitantly, trying to keep his anxiety from showing, "You're really not going back to New York?"_ _ _ _

____"Nope," Joe replied simply, snuggling into his lover's chest. "I'm here for as long as th' Mutou's will have me… or until Art needs me for somethin'." The blonde suddenly grimaced. "'course, now that I'm in a `proper setting', Art's insistin' I go ta school." Seto chuckled at Joe's pained expression._ _ _ _

____"Don't worry, `Joseph'," he teased, leaning down to kiss the blonde's scowl away. "I'm sure you'll do just fine." Suddenly the brunette changed topic. "You could always stay here, you know," he said, his expression as serious now as it had been playful before. "We have more room than the Mutous and Mokuba already thinks the world of you…"_ _ _ _

____"An you?" Joe asked quietly, tracing a finger along Seto's chest and smiling as he felt the purr his action elicited. The brunette's sapphire eyes gleamed softly in the moonlight as he brushed Joe's lips in a kiss, silently giving his answer. "Alright then," the shorter male agreed, blushing softly as he returned the brunette's loving gesture, "I'll stay…" His eyes began to dance teasingly. "…but only on one condition." Seto pushed himself up on an elbow, looking warily at the blonde._ _ _ _

____"And what would that be?" he queried._ _ _ _

____"Ya don't call me Joseph again." Seto's mouth quirked in amusement._ _ _ _

____"But everybody calls you Joe," he said mock-petulantly. "I guess I could go back to calling you Wheeler." He chuckled as the blonde pouted up at him. "No? What about… Joey?"_ _ _ _

____"I _hate_ that," Joe exclaimed fervently, his pout deepening ever so slightly. "Makes me sound like a little kid."_ _ _ _

____"Jounouchi, then?" The brunette tried Joe's name in his own native tongue._ _ _ _

____"Come on, Seto…" Joe yawned, growling slightly at the brunette's persistence, "I can't even _say_ that. What in th' hell's wrong with Joe?" Seto shook his head._ _ _ _

____"I want something special… something that's _mine/ _." Joe snorted at the statement.___ _ _ _

______"You got issues, ya know that? Now g'nite. I'm goin' ta sleep." Seto smiled softly as the blonde nuzzled against him, his soft blonde locks tickling his chest. Despite Joe's peaceful expression he couldn't resist one more taunt._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Jono?" The blonde whimpered in frustration, his sleepy eyes nearly begging his lover to stop._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Come on, Seto… please?" Finally the brunette relented, unable to resist the pleading expression in Joe's eyes. Bringing his hand to Joe's head, Seto ran his fingers through the long golden tresses… and suddenly began to laugh._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Of course… It's so obvious…" Growling irately the blonde pushed himself away from Seto's chest._ _ _ _ _ _

______"What th' fuck you talkin' bout now?" he demanded, glaring at his lover._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Nothing… Puppy." Joe gaped at the brunette._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You _so_ did not jus' call me a dog," he hissed, amber eyes glinting dangerously. Seto smirked at the boy in his arms._ _ _ _ _ _

______"No I didn't… I called you Puppy. It's perfect," he insisted, wresting the pillow away from the blonde before he could attack him with it. "Your soft golden hair…your beautiful eyes," Seto paused to kiss the pout away that had once again formed on Joe's lips. "The way you whimper and growl and bark…" Joe groaned in disbelief and flopped an arm over his eyes, "But most of all," Seto gently removed the arm to look into his lover's eyes. "The way you came to my rescue. The way you defended me. The way that you make me feel loved. Puppy…" he finished with a whisper, leaning in to brush Joe's lips in a kiss. "My puppy. It's perfect… just like you." Hearing the tenderness in Seto's voice and seeing the sincerity in his eyes Joe relented, but not without issuing a warning. "Ouch!" Seto yelped, jerking away from the blonde. "What in the hell did you do that for?" Joe chuckled lightly and leaned up to kiss the bruising spot on Seto's chest._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Just makin' sure ya remember: puppies protect th' people they love but they also bite when provoked. Now lay down." Joe pulled down on Seto's arm, causing him to fall back onto the bed. "Yer puppy's tired an' we both have ta get up early; Art's plane leaves at 8 and we're gonna go see him off." Closing his eyes and nuzzling into the brunette's chest, Joe drifted off to sleep._ _ _ _ _ _

______Seto remained awake a while longer, watching the blonde as he slept, amazed by the fact that he already couldn't imagine his life without Joe being a part of it. Out of the blue his mind drifted to Noah and how a program that had brought him so much grief had inadvertently brought him joy as well. Somehow the thought comforted Seto, bringing a sense of peace to his mind that hadn't been present since the day he and Mokuba had freed the boy from his computerized prison. "Thank you," he whispered into the night. Closing his eyes and drawing Joe tighter against him, Seto finally fell asleep, knowing there'd be no more nightmares about Noah and his program of doom._ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
